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ORLANDO, Florida — The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) voted June 10 to support advancing the cause of beatification and canonization for Monsignor Joseph Buh, a Slovenian-born missionary priest who spent more than half a century ministering in northern Minnesota.

The vote took place during the bishops' plenary assembly in Orlando, Florida, after Duluth Bishop Daniel J. Felton asked members to consider whether it was advisable to advance the cause on the local level.

The bishops also approved advancing the cause of sainthood for John Rick Miller, a layman and international missionary known as the "ambassador of the Virgin Mary."

Presenting the request to his fellow bishops, Felton described Buh as "a remarkable example of missionary discipleship" whose "love for Christ and the Church led him to leave his homeland of Slovenia and dedicate his life to the people of northeastern Minnesota."

"His story remains profoundly relevant for the Church today," Felton said. "For we live in a missionary age."

The action marks another step in a process that has been developing in the Diocese of Duluth for several years. In 2024, the diocese began formally exploring whether Buh's cause should move forward, consulting clergy and the faithful about devotion to the priest and his reputation for holiness.

Buh was born in 1833 in what is now Slovenia and was ordained in 1858. After emigrating to the United States, he became one of the most influential Catholic missionaries in northern Minnesota during a period of rapid immigration and settlement.

Known for extensive travels across the region — often by horseback over long distances and difficult terrain — Buh ministered to immigrant mining communities and Native American settlements at a time when priests could spend weeks or months covering a single mission circuit. He helped establish more than 50 parishes and missions and later served as vicar general of the Diocese of Duluth.

Felton said Buh anticipated key elements of modern Catholic teaching on evangelization.

"He immersed himself in the communities that he served. He learned their languages, understood their customs and struggles and, most importantly, learned the language of their hearts," Felton said.

Buh spoke six languages, including Ojibwe, an Algonquian language, which Felton said he learned so that he could "faithfully serve and evangelize the Indigenous communities."

He added that Buh's pastoral method was rooted in presence and listening.

"He began by listening after learning their language, their story, and their needs," Felton said. "His example reminds us that evangelization begins with presence, listening, and genuine love for the people entrusted to our care."

The proposal brought before the bishops follows several years of preparatory work in the Diocese of Duluth. In October 2023, Felton appointed Father Richard Kunst to help evaluate whether sufficient devotion to Buh existed among the faithful to warrant moving forward with a cause.

'A true spiritual father'

Although Buh died in 1922, interest in his life has persisted within the Diocese of Duluth. Advocates of the cause point to both his missionary work and the reputation for sanctity that followed him during his lifetime and after his death.

Felton said the faithful of northeastern Minnesota have long regarded Buh as "a true spiritual father," reflected in the title by which he became known, the "patriarch of the Diocese of Duluth."

His ministry coincided with demographic changes in northern Minnesota as mining and railroad expansion drew new immigrant communities to the region. His fluency in multiple languages allowed him to minister across cultural lines, particularly among European immigrant groups who often lacked stable parish structures in their early years in the United States.

At his funeral, Church leaders praised his decades of missionary service across remote communities in northern Minnesota. In the years since, his memory has remained particularly strong in the region.

"Stories of his life continue to be shared throughout our region, even to this day," Felton told the bishops. "There are accounts of his sacrifices while traveling through severe winters, his tireless efforts to provide both spiritual and material assistance, and the deep trust people placed in his prayers."

"For generations, devotion to Monsignor Buh has endured," he added.

Interest in Buh's cause has increased in recent years. His remains were exhumed in 2024 and transferred to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary in Duluth, where they were formally entombed in 2025.

As supporters have examined Buh's life and writings, Felton said he is remembered as "a beloved, gentle, humble, and generous priest" whose life was ordered toward helping others draw closer to God.

"He did not come to Minnesota in search of adventure or personal gain," Felton said, "but out of a desire to serve Jesus Christ and to lead others."

The bishops' vote does not open the cause nor declare Buh a saint. Rather, it represents one of several preliminary steps in the canonization process.

If the process continues, the Vatican's Dicastery for the Causes of Saints would need to grant a "nihil obstat" ("nothing stands in the way"), allowing the cause to be formally opened. At that point, Buh would receive the title "servant of God."

Felton told the bishops that Buh's witness speaks to the Church's present missionary context.

"I truly do believe the Holy Spirit is lifting him up in this time," he said. "I think the Holy Spirit has lifted him up for our times to be our inspiration, to be our guide."

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In Barcelona's Raval — a lively neighborhood where more than half the population is of migrant origin — joy palpably filled the streets on Wednesday.

Before celebrating Mass on June 10 at Barcelona's iconic Sagrada Familia Basilica, Pope Leo XIV brought his affection to this community in one of the city's most disadvantaged yet vibrant areas, demonstrating that the pope has not come to just admire churches but to touch human suffering.

In this neighborhood, St. Augustine Church houses — within the premises of a former convent — a soup kitchen run by the Missionaries of Charity and the Mano Amiga Foundation, which distributes clothing and food to the poor.

The beneficiaries of this ministry include the family of 6-year-old Renzo. He and his family arrived in Spain some time ago fleeing extreme poverty in Peru.

Renzo — a little boy from a vulnerable family struggling to make ends meet — put the pope on the spot.

"Why do bad things happen to some people? And not to others? Whose fault is it? Why are there so many people living on the street? No one sees them; no one helps them," he asked the Holy Father with the sweet innocence of a child.

But before addressing that question, the pope answered another: whether he had wanted to be pope when he was a child.

"I didn't want to be pope, neither as a young man nor as an old man," the pontiff remarked, drawing laughter from those present.

But "when the Lord calls, one must say yes," he added. It was evident that the pope felt at ease in this parish. He even said: "I truly feel at home here, and thank you for everything you represent."

Leo shared that "it is not easy to find the answer, Renzo, to your question about why bad things happen to some people while others are spared," while noting that "reflecting on the life of Jesus might help us."

"God's word tells us that Our Lord 'went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil,' and yet we know he was crucified. But the story did not end there, for he rose again on the third day, conquering both evil and death," the Holy Father recalled.

The pope emphasized that "through the life of Jesus Christ, God shows us that, even amid suffering, he never abandons any of his children, for he has prepared eternal joy for us — a place where there will be no more sorrow or pain. Let us have confidence; Jesus is with us, helping and accompanying us, and giving us the strength to navigate the difficult moments we may encounter in life."

During a diocesan meeting with organizations dedicated to social assistance, the pope highlighted the aid they provide to people living in this neighborhood marked by marginalization.

Each diocesan ecclesial community, he noted — moved by charity and guided by the Holy Spirit — "is called to reach out, according to its own means and capabilities, and with discretion, sensitivity, and perseverance, to the wounds and needs of the least and most vulnerable, in order to alleviate their suffering and remedy their poverty."

As Christians, he affirmed, "we are called to the task of making God's love for every man and woman present within the concrete fabric of history."

Also present at the gathering were the four Augustinians living in Barcelona and the surrounding area who served as hosts: two Tanzanians and two Filipinos who minister at neighborhood parishes and one in Badalona.

The pope focused much of his address on forgiveness. "Forgiving does not mean saying that what was wrong was actually right, nor does it mean letting someone continue to cause harm. It does not mean forcing oneself to forget, as if nothing had happened," he explained.

[Forgiving] does not mean forcing oneself to forget, as if nothing had happened."

Pope Leo XIV

Forgiving, he added, "means not letting hatred take over our hearts." He emphasized: "Jesus asks us to forgive because it is the only way to experience God's peace and heal spiritual wounds."

The pontiff also addressed one of the most painful social ills: the loneliness of the elderly. "Let us not allow loneliness and abandonment to become the norm in the lives of older adults. That is a very sad thing," he warned.

Renzo also asked the pope if he liked soccer, a question that drew laughter from those present.

As is well known, the pope plays tennis, but he revealed that he also played soccer as a young man. He shared that in Peru, he "followed the local teams closely" while also playing soccer alongside the seminarians.

"A little sport is good for everyone," he said, concluding the moving encounter.

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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Since the time Ángeles Hernández discovered her calling to become a pilot after boarding a Boeing 747 as a child bound for a visit to England, she never imagined that, decades later, she would sit in the cockpit of an Iberia airplane flying the successor of St. Peter from Madrid to Barcelona.

During takeoff, the pope was invited to the cockpit, where they shared an exchange she said she will never forget.

"I think I'm still beside myself ... I'm still on cloud nine. I've hardly had time to stop and pray, and I believe this is something you process through prayer because otherwise it doesn't sink in the same way," the 33-year-old pilot told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, just a day after an experience she said she will always cherish in her heart.

The woman from Extremadura, Spain, said it hasn't yet fully sunk in and that she still needs to "bring down to earth" the emotions she experienced on the afternoon of June 9, when Pope Leo XIV sat with her and pilot Pablo Martínez in the cockpit.

She said she feels "blessed" and attributed the event to "God's ways." She also recalled a conversation with a nun from the Eucharistic Sisters of Nazareth, for whom she holds great affection: "I told her I didn't know if I deserved something like this, and she replied that it was the Lord's way of telling me he loved me."

The video of Hernández with Pope Leo in the cockpit has gone viral around the world.

It shows the pontiff clearly enjoying the experience. "I do think he really enjoyed the flight," she said. "He mentioned that it was his first time taking off [while in the cockpit] and he asked us technical questions, such as what temperature the engines reach upon startup. He was very curious, and we explained the operation [of the plane] to him as we went along."

Martinez, the other pilot, told the pope he is a Real Madrid soccer team fan and had enjoyed the pope's allusion the day before to the "spectacular goal" scored for the Church in Madrid. The pope jokingly replied that he's also a "White" (referring to the nickname for Real Madrid fans) and added that one has to "be careful" in Barcelona, ??given the traditional rivalry between the Real team and Barça (the Barcelona team).

During the journey, the plane carrying the pope was escorted by two Spanish Air Force F-18 fighter jets. At one point during the flight, the cockpit crew made contact with the military pilots.

Hernández said the pope "didn't hesitate for a moment to put on the headset and pick up the microphone" to speak with Commander López of the Zaragoza Squadron. "It was a unique experience," she recalled, with feeling.

Hernández also had the opportunity to ask the Holy Father to pray for her family's intentions and, more broadly, for all families in Spain: "For all their concerns, their intentions, and the illnesses borne in silence, and also for those who care for the sick."

She also asked him for a blessing for many of her friends and family members.

"The pope told me to let them know they have his blessing and that he is praying for them. I'll never forget those words — they are truly a gift," she said.

Although the years of training and the journey to becoming a pilot haven't always been easy, Hernández stated with conviction: "It's a matter of putting things in God's hands and saying, 'Let's give it our all; if you are with me, we'll make it.'

She said faith is an immense gift she received from her parents and grandparents, who were the ones responsible for sowing that initial seed. Over the years, she explained, that seed has been "watered" thanks to many people she has met along the way.

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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Texas Catholics are preparing to welcome fans from around the world as the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament officially begins this week.

The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, the Diocese of Fort Worth, and the Diocese of Dallas have launched special initiatives blending hospitality, faith, and outreach for the hundreds of thousands of fans from around the world descending on those cities during the largest World Cup in history, which begins June 11.

The cities of Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth will host 16 matches total, with a tournament-high nine matches taking place at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, which sits in between Fort Worth and Dallas.

The Diocese of Dallas has launched the "Welcome the World, Welcome the Stranger" initiative, encouraging parishes to extend hospitality to the city's visitors, offering a downloadable resource kit that includes prayers and ideas that "will help your community welcome visitors from around the globe with faith, joy, and generosity."

The diocese is also offering fans information on Mass times in multiple languages and "everything you need to stay connected to your faith during your visit to north Texas."

"We are grateful for your presence among us and for this moment that brings the world together in a spirit of joy and unity," Dallas Bishop Edward Burns said on the diocese's World Cup website. "It is my hope that, during your time here, you will experience not only our hospitality but also the peace that comes from being welcomed as part of one human family."

Burns celebrated an opening Mass on June 7 at the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe. There are additional Holy Hours planned for specific match days.

Dallas Stadium will feature several high-profile group games such as Netherlands vs. Japan (June 14), England vs. Croatia (June 17), and Argentina vs. Austria (June 22) before culminating in a semifinal on July 14.

The Fort Worth Diocese's initiative, "Together for the Win," is available in multiple languages and offers visiting fans parish locations, including their distance from Dallas Stadium.

Diocesan spokesman John Cuccaro told EWTN News the diocese also plans to host watch parties during the tournament and will post reels of the matches on social media.

The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston's dedicated World Cup website, meanwhile, offers a parish locator, information on special Masses and other events, and links to notable Catholic sites in the city, which expects over 500,000 visitors.

NRG Stadium (temporarily renamed Houston Stadium) will host seven matches from June 14 to July 4, including five group-stage games and two knockout rounds.

Portugal will be playing two matches in Houston on June 17 and June 23. The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston is inviting fans to worship at a special Portuguese Mass at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart on Sunday, June 21, at 3:30 p.m.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament opens in Mexico City with the match between Mexico and South Africa at the iconic Estadio Azteca. The opening ceremony will take place at the same venue about 90 minutes before kickoff, celebrating Mexican culture through music, dance, and folklore.

There will be three separate opening ceremonies — one in each host country — with additional events in Toronto and Los Angeles on June 12.

This expanded 48-team tournament features a record 104 matches across 16 host cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, running through the final on Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The 11 U.S. host cities will collectively stage 78 of the tournament's 104 matches. In addition to the two cities in Texas, matches will take place in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey (East Rutherford), Boston (Foxborough), Miami (Miami Gardens), Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area (Santa Clara), Seattle, and Kansas City.

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QUELIMANE, Mozambique — Catholic leaders' grief over the killing of Bishop Osório Citora Afonso of Mozambique's Quelimane Diocese continues to deepen as Pope Leo XIV, Catholic bishops in Africa, the Vatican Dicastery for Evangelization, and the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) joined in mourning the 54-year-old bishop, calling for justice.

Authorities in Mozambique said Afonso was fatally shot during a home invasion at his residence in Quelimane during the early hours of June 6. 

The Mozambican member of the Institute of Consolata Missionaries (IMC), Afonso had led the Diocese of Quelimane since July 2025 and also served as apostolic administrator of the Catholic Archdiocese of Beira and secretary-general of the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique (CEM).

Members of the CEM have demanded urgent action and accountability. In a June 8 letter, the episcopal body condemned what it described as a "vile and cowardly crime" and insisted on a swift, rigorous investigation to uncover both the masterminds and perpetrators of the attack.

Earlier this week, in a message released by the Holy See, Pope Leo XIV said he had "learned with sorrow of the grave act of violence" that claimed Afonso's life and said he was joined in prayer with all the people of Mozambique.

Pope Leo XIV's message came as Church leaders across Africa and beyond reacted to the killing, describing it as a painful loss for the Church and an attack on the values the late bishop dedicated his life to promoting.

Africa's bishops condemn 'barbaric crime'

In a June 6 statement, the leadership of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) expressed "profound shock, sorrow, and indignation" over the violent killing of Afonso.

"This heinous act, perpetrated against a shepherd of God's people, constitutes not only an attack on the life and dignity of a devoted servant of the Gospel but also an assault on the values of peace, justice, human dignity, and religious freedom that are essential for the flourishing of every society," said SECAM President Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, OFM Cap, leader of the Archdiocese of Kinshasa.

Ambongo also said they "strongly and unequivocally condemn this barbaric crime."

"No religious leader, regardless of faith or denomination, should ever become the target of violence," he said.

He continued: "Those who dedicate their lives to serving God and promoting reconciliation, solidarity, education, charity, and the common good deserve protection and respect, not persecution and death."

On behalf of Africa's Catholic bishops, Ambongo called on Mozambican authorities to conduct "an immediate, thorough, transparent, and independent investigation" and ensure that all those responsible are "identified, prosecuted, and brought to justice without delay."

"The people of Mozambique, the Catholic Church, and the international community deserve the truth," Ambongo said.

The cardinal went on to urge the Mozambican government to strengthen protection for religious leaders and places of worship, emphasizing that religious freedom is "a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of every democratic and peaceful society."

He expressed condolences to Mozambique's Catholic bishops, clergy, women and men religious, and lay faithful of the Quelimane Diocese and Beira Archdiocese, IMC members, and the late bishop's family and loved ones.

"We join them in mourning the loss of a faithful pastor whose life was dedicated to the service of Christ and his Church," Ambongo said.

Vatican dicastery recalls missionary service

The Vatican Dicastery for Evangelization, where Afonso served at the Section for First Evangelization and New Particular Churches before becoming a bishop, also issued a tribute, highlighting the late bishop's missionary commitment and service to the universal Church.

"With deep sorrow, yet comforted by the firm hope of the resurrection promised by Our Lord Jesus Christ," officials of the Vatican Dicastery said they joined "in the mourning of the Church in Mozambique" and united themselves spiritually with the pope and the faithful of Quelimane and Beira.

The dicastery officials recalled that Afonso, born in Ribáuè on May 6, 1972, took his solemn vows in the Consolata Missionary Institute and was ordained a priest in 2002.

"Inspired by a genuine missionary spirit and a deep love for sacred Scripture, he generously dedicated his ministry to the service of evangelization in Africa, Italy, and the universal Church," they said.

Vatican Dicastery officials noted that the late bishop served as an official of the Dicastery for Evangelization from 2017 until his episcopal appointment in September 2023.

"The years spent at the service of the dicastery were marked by competence, dedication, a sincere ecclesial spirit, and a generous commitment to the mission ad gentes and to the growth of the young Churches," they said.

The dicastery officials recounted his appointment as auxiliary bishop of Maputo in September 2023 and later as bishop of Quelimane in July 2025.

In April, he was also entrusted with responsibility for the Archdiocese of Beira as apostolic administrator.

Reflecting on Afonso's passing, the Vatican officials said: "His sudden death deprives the Church in Mozambique of a zealous and caring pastor, an exemplary missionary, a man of profound faith, and a faithful servant of the Gospel."

They added that those who worked with the late bishop remembered "his humility, fraternal kindness, spiritual depth, pastoral wisdom, and his total dedication to the mission entrusted to him by the Lord for the good of the Church."

The dicastery entrusted Afonso's soul to "the infinite mercy of the Father" and prayed that the Lord would "comfort all who mourn his death and sustain his Church in its confident expectation of the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come."

ACN sees another 'dark cloud' over Mozambique

Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) also lamented Afonso's killing, describing it as another painful moment for the Church in the southern African nation.

Officials of the pontifical charity said the murder "adds yet another dark cloud over the Church in Mozambique."

They noted that the Church in the country "is already grappling with terrorist violence in the north of the country, particularly in Cabo Delgado Province."

Officials of the Catholic charity with the mission of supporting persecuted and oppressed Christians worldwide recalled that Afonso had repeatedly warned about insecurity and violence in the region before his death.

Reaffirming their commitment to the local Church, ACN officials said Mozambique "remains a priority country" for the organization, which continues to support the Church through humanitarian assistance, psychosocial programs, and reconstruction projects.

As the Church in Mozambique prepares funeral arrangements for the slain bishop, tributes from Rome, Africa, and Catholic organizations continue to pour in from across the world.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

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New York Archbishop Ronald Hicks urged people to be "vigilant" about assisted suicide legislation as implementation of the state law draws near.

The New York State Department of Health released proposed rules for the assisted suicide law set to take effect Aug. 5, two days after the comment period ends.

The law enacted Feb. 6 would let people with terminally ill diagnoses of six months or less request drugs to end their lives.

The proposed rules would require two verbal requests from patients separated by at least 48 hours; a written request with two witnesses; and a final attestation form completed by the patient 48 hours before taking the medication. A five-day waiting period applies to the time between when the prescription is written and when a pharmacy may fill it. Patients would self-administer the life-ending drugs. The death certificate would list the underlying disease or condition as the cause of death.

Hicks described the New York legislation as an "assault on human life, the next step toward a complete throwaway mentality" in a June 2 article in First Things.

"When this law becomes effective, a new and frightening era begins in New York," Hicks said. "How long before this so-called 'compassion' for the terminally ill evolves from a 'choice' into an expectation to kill oneself for all sorts of vulnerable individuals, including those with disabilities, the elderly, and those in impoverished and medically underserved communities?"

Jose Hernandez, a disabilities advocate for the New York Association on Independent Living, criticized the law given its negative affect on people with disabilities. He told EWTN News that society already treats many people with disabilities as a "burden."

For people with disabilities, "everything is a fight," said Hernandez, who became a C-5 quadriplegic after a diving accident at 15 years old.

As a New Yorker who grew up in the South Bronx, he voiced concerns that insurance companies would be incentivized to approve the cheaper alternative of assisted suicide.

Hernandez said his perspective is shaped by his own childhood: When he was 8, his mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given six months to live — the same prognosis that would make someone eligible for assisted suicide under New York's law. She went on to live another 13 years.

When asked what he would say to people considering assisted suicide, Hernandez urged people to consider alternatives such as hospice and palliative care, or even induced comas, to pass with "peace" into the next life.

Hicks encouraged people to consider the witness of Pope Francis when he was dying.

"Our lives are sacred gifts from God that we are to protect and cherish," Hicks wrote.

"We saw the beauty of a natural death exemplified just over a year ago when Pope Francis, clearly weakened by illness and age, traveled through St. Peter's Square in the popemobile on Easter Sunday, demonstrating the dignity of life even while suffering the afflictions and ailments that would claim his life the very next day," he wrote.

Jamie Towey, spokesman for Aging With Dignity, told EWTN News that "assisted suicide is the wrong answer to real problems."

"Americans should be seriously concerned by New York's assisted suicide law, not only because it classifies the elderly and people with disabilities as worthy of suicide, but because this isn't the end; it's just the beginning," Towey said.

"The original version of the bill was extraordinarily radical — no waiting periods, no state residency requirements — and the suicide-affirming care lobby will fight to bring this version of the bill back. That is their playbook," Towey said.

Taking inspiration from St. Teresa of Calcutta, Aging With Dignity is dedicated to protecting the rights of people approaching the end of life. Through its "Five Wishes" program, Aging With Dignity helps those who are elderly or nearing death define how they want to be treated.

"The good news is, there are real solutions we can provide the dying and those with serious illness: advance care planning resources, access to palliative care, timely referral to hospice, patient-centered care, quality pain management, and loving, personal accompaniment," Towey said.

Jessica Rodgers, coalitions director for Patients' Rights Action Fund, criticized assisted suicide laws for failing to protect vulnerable patients.

"Assisted suicide laws across the United States are written to protect prescribers, not patients, and nothing in the proposed regulations addresses that reality," Rodgers said.

"Current regulations offer no oversight after the drugs are dispensed and no follow-up with the patient," Rodgers said. "As it stands, we will continue to see vulnerable patients harmed by this discriminatory policy."

Hicks warned New Yorkers of "the slippery slope" the New York law creates.

"What begins as a personal choice could lead to situations where external forces, such as government agencies or insurance companies, begin to influence or even dictate end-of-life decisions," Hicks said. "This shift could undermine the respect and protection due to every human life."

"It's a future we must guard against with both compassion and vigilance," Hicks said.

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As an intense heat wave grips Pakistan, churches are providing relief to worshippers through adjusted Mass schedules, water distribution, heat-awareness campaigns, and improved ventilation.

Daily Mass schedules at St. Patrick's Cathedral in the port city of Karachi have been adjusted after Archbishop Benny Mario Travas urged Catholics to take precautions during daytime hours, Father Mario Rodrigues, principal of St. Patrick's High School and former rector of the cathedral, told EWTN News.

"Prayer timings have been shifted to early mornings and late evenings. Churches have been instructed to install reverse-osmosis water filtration plants and water coolers. We are trying our best to respond to the soaring mercury," he said.

Rodrigues spoke on June 9, when high humidity pushed the "feels-like" temperature to around 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit) in Pakistan's largest city, home to about 200,000 Catholics.

Media reports said at least 14 people died in Karachi last month during a heat spell that saw temperatures reach 44.1 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit), the highest recorded in the city since 2018.

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The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that heat wave conditions are likely to intensify across the country, with temperatures expected to remain 4-6 degrees Celsius (about 7-11 degrees Fahrenheit) above normal in northern regions and 5-7 degrees Celsius (about 9-13 degrees Fahrenheit) above normal in southern areas on June 10–11.

Father Anthony Arbaz, parish priest of St. James Church in Karachi, the capital of the southern province of Sindh, said 11 churches in his parish are relying on natural ventilation and community awareness to protect worshippers.

"We are widening windows and opening all ceiling ventilators in our churches. Karachi's nights were once famous for being cool even during the hottest months. Not anymore," he said.

"It is a difficult situation for the entire country. Even ventilation seems helpless under the scorching sun because the fans only circulate hot air."

Arbaz said cold drinking water is being provided to worshippers, while volunteers add oral rehydration solution and flavored electrolyte drinks to water coolers.

"Doctors and nurses are invited after Mass to educate the faithful on preventing heatstroke through simple measures such as carrying water bottles and covering their heads with wet towels," he added.

Samson Chris, a medical assistant who has conducted heat-awareness sessions at St. James Church for the past three years, said church youth groups have been encouraged to shift sports activities to the evening.

"The attendance of elderly people at the 10 p.m. Mass has declined because prolonged power outages of 12-16 hours a day are disrupting sleep and affecting their health," he said.

In Lahore, air conditioning brings new costs

In Lahore, where temperatures have also exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) this week, some churches are turning to air conditioning despite rising electricity costs.

Attendance at Holy Cross Catholic Church increased in the summer after two air-conditioning units were installed in 2024. However, church leaders now face mounting utility bills.

"Authorities at Sacred Heart Cathedral stopped contributing toward the electricity costs after the air-conditioning system was installed. The parish priest initially resisted the move, but parishioners insisted because the church, located above a school building, receives direct sunlight throughout the day," said Anthony Gill, a member of the church committee.

The church's electricity bill reached 14,000 Pakistani rupees (about $50) in May. Parishioners now take up a special collection on the first two Sundays of each month to help cover the expense.

"We also appeal to relatives, especially those living in Western countries, to support the church financially so that worshippers can find some relief from the heat during prayer services," Gill said.

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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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