Catholic News

The Neocatechumenal Way will soon celebrate its 60th anniversary and conclude the diocesan phase of the canonization process of Carmen Hernández, who co-founded the apostolate with Kiko Argüello.

The archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal José Cobo, will offer a Mass of Thanksgiving at Our Lady of Almudena Cathedral to mark the 60th anniversary of the birth of the Neocatechumenal Way on May 30.

The ceremony, which was originally scheduled to take place last year but was postponed due to the death of Pope Francis, will be concelebrated by other Spanish prelates, and more than 100 priests will attend.

The Neocatechumenal Way, also known as the Neocatechumenate, was founded in 1964 and is a post-baptismal formation program within the Catholic Church designed to help baptized adults rediscover and deepen their faith.

"It is a moment of joy that encompasses the entire reality of the Neocatechumenal Way: this itinerary of Christian Initiation lived out in small communities and currently present in over 6,250 parishes across some 1,400 dioceses worldwide, which was born in one of the poorest areas of the Spanish capital," states a press release from the apostolate.

The celebration will continue on June 2, when the closing rite for the cause of canonization of Carmen Hernández will take place. As a young woman, she and Argüello founded the Neocatechumenal Way with the encouragement of the archbishop of Madrid-Alcalá, Casimiro Morcillo González.

The cause for canonization began on Dec. 4, 2022, after postulator Carlos Metola gathered nearly 30,000 pages of documentation, and will conclude almost 10 years after her death on July 19, 2016.

The event will feature addresses by Cobo, Metola, and Argüello himself, who shared his evangelizing mission with Hernández for over 50 years. It will take place at the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Madrid, where Hernández is buried.

According to the Neocatechumenal Way, over the past decade, more than 118,000 people have visited her tomb, "and favors are continually received through her intercession."

Hernández's contribution was "fundamental," the Neocatechumenal Way states, particularly "thanks to her studies regarding the renewal of the Second Vatican Council."

"This contribution was made in many aspects: the formation of the small Christian community, the liturgy, Easter, the relationship with the word of God, including the Old Testament and patristic and Jewish sources," the press release notes.

Argüello and Hernández met in the mid-1960s in the Palomeras Altas neighborhood of Madrid, where the former, despite a promising career as a painter, abandoned everything to live in a shack and begin proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the poor.

This Christian initiation for adults soon spread to the parishes through the impetus of Morcillo, and today it is present in 138 countries across five continents and has 116 diocesan missionary seminaries in which nearly 3,500 priests have been formed.

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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Cardinal Fernando Chomali, archbishop of Santiago, Chile, offered a 10-point guide to understanding the central message of Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, presented May 25.

The encyclical's theme is "On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence." In it, the pope calls upon both society and those who design artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to be subject to "more rigorous ethical constraints" out of "respect for human dignity and the sanctity of life."

The cardinal shared 10 points on social media to foster a deeper understanding of the Holy Father's central message in the document:

1. The human person lies at the center of all technological progress.

2. The great challenge of our time is not technical but human and spiritual.

3. Artificial intelligence must be placed at the service of the common good.

4. Human dignity does not depend on productivity or capabilities.

5. Fragility is not a defect that must be eliminated.

6. No artificial intelligence can replace human experience.

7. Truth is a common good that must be protected.

8. Human work cannot be subjected to the logic of machines.

9. Freedom is threatened by new, invisible forms of control.

10. Peace and the civilization of love constitute the true alternative to technological power.

An illuminating document for Chile's situation

The president of the Chilean Bishops' Conference, Archbishop René Rebolledo Salinas, expressed his gratitude to the Holy Father for the encyclical while highlighting the document's "profound resonance" with Chile's pastoral and social challenges.

He specifically noted the pope's concern regarding the vulnerability of young people to technological addictions and digital manipulation, a challenge currently facing the country. He also observed that one of the Church's great challenges is transforming the enthusiasm of young people into an enduring missionary witness.

"The digital environment is the natural mission territory for the new generations," said the prelate, warning that "it's not enough to turn off the screens; we must accompany them so that they may carry the light of the Gospel to this new continent."

He also mentioned the upcoming International Church Communications Seminar, which will take place in Chile July 27–28 with the theme: "The Challenges of Artificial Intelligence."

"The publication of Magnifica Humanitas arrives at a providential moment as all the country's bishops will gather at the end of July for the seminar on communications and AI," he noted, saying the gathering will make the encyclical an "illuminating foundational text."

Addressing the pope's warning regarding how AI may undermine truth and democratic life, Rebolledo emphasized that, in the current scenario of political and social transformations, the Church's role will continue to be that of enlightening consciences through the Gospel and the social doctrine of the Church.

"The Holy Father is clear: a technology that seeks only economic gain constructs a new Babel that sacrifices the most vulnerable," the prelate emphasized, reflecting: "In Chile, this directly challenges us to pay closer attention to the new forms of poverty currently emerging."

At the same time, he urged the protection of truth "in an era where disinformation and artificial intelligence can confuse what is true and what is false."

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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Catholic bishops in the United States reacted positively to Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, which touched on both concerns and hopes about the development of artificial intelligence (AI) with his focus being the dignity of the human person and the common good.

"Humanity, created by God in all its grandeur, is today facing a pivotal choice: either to construct a new Tower of Babel or to build the city in which God and humanity dwell together," Leo said in Magnifica Humanitas, published May 25 and signed on May 15 — the 135th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII's encyclical Rerum Novarum.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), issued a statement highlighting the significance of that date and noting that Rerum Novarum addressed social concerns and political movements related to the technological advancement experienced through the industrial revolution.

As Pope Leo XIII addressed the challenges of the industrial revolution, Coakley said, "our Holy Father shines the light of the Gospel and the tradition of the Church on the new opportunities and challenges posed by the rise of artificial intelligence."

"The pope calls us to never lose sight of the inherent dignity of all human life and the moral imperative for technology to support peace and the common good rather than the limited interest of a few," he added.

Coakley said Leo's message is "a powerful reminder that no technology can replace a child of God, and all technology should be placed at the service of helping humanity thrive." He said he and his fellow bishops will continue looking through the encyclical and encouraged "people of goodwill" to reflect and apply the teachings.

He said the bishops' Committee on Doctrine will lead and coordinate further work from the bishops on AI development that reflects the Holy Father's emphasis on human dignity.

Bishops discuss AI development

Several other bishops offered similar praise for the encyclical, emphasizing the importance of applying these values globally in the development of AI.

Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, issued a video message saying that Leo "wants to defend the dignity of humanity." He said the Holy Father "knows we have a magnificence because of our creation and redemption and he worries about some of these dimensions of AI."

He said Leo is concerned that among some people, "power is more important than truth" in the modern world, in which people are motivated by clicks and engagement online. He also echoed Leo's concern about the development of knowledge, warning against allowing AI to replace the human mind in developing knowledge and expressing unease about AI replacing people in the workforce.

Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia said the rapid advancement of AI must be "accompanied by a moral and ethical framework that guides their usage."

"While this powerful technology presents significant opportunities to advance healthcare, education, and share the good news of the Gospel, it also poses significant moral and ethical pitfalls that must be navigated and reflected upon," Pérez said.

"Pope Leo emphasizes with crystal clarity that the sanctity of human life must remain paramount as artificial intelligence systems continue to develop and become more closely integrated into nearly every aspect of our lives," he added.

Bishop William E. Koenig of the Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware, said the encyclical will "help us navigate this time of digital transition and both safeguard and nurture God's gift of our magnificent humanity."

"[It] leads us through the discernment of what is just and right for the common good of our shared humanity," he added. "Pope Leo calls us not to judge our use of artificial intelligence merely by its effectiveness but rather the human, social, and spiritual bonds it enables or destroys."

Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, said in a statement that the encyclical is "welcome in this time of tremendous social and technological change, especially concerning artificial intelligence and the right use of such tools."

"I encourage all to join me over the coming days to reading Magnifica Humanitas in its entirety and prayerfully considering all that the Holy Father shares," he said.

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Vice President JD Vance welcomed the release of Pope Leo XIV's Magnifica Humanitas in an interview, calling the Holy Father's first encyclical "profound."

Vance, a Catholic, told NBC News on May 26 that while he had not read the document in its entirety, "What I read of it sounds very profound, and the sort of thing that you would expect and hope from a leader of the Church."

The vice president's comments came the day after the encyclical's release on May 25.

"The thing about morality is that the principles never change, but the way you apply those principles does, because the world changes, right?" Vance said.

"You have new technologies and warfare, so you have to update 'just war' doctrine," he said. "New ways of human beings interacting with one another, so you have to kind of rethink the entire Catholic social teaching in light of the new world that we live in. And I think that's exactly what the pope is trying to do. So I'm glad that he did it."

Vance has previously critiqued Leo for weighing in on the Iran war, saying that while it's good the pope discusses what he cares about, "in some cases it would be best for the Vatican to stick to matters of morality, to stick to matters of what's going on in the Catholic Church, and let the president of the United States stick to dictating American public policy."

He has also said that he respects and admires Leo and likes "that the pope is an advocate for peace."

The vice president's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment or to verify quotations in the NBC report.

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A priest turned himself in to police after being accused of stealing about $160,000 from a parish, according to officials with the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.

Father Richard Storey "voluntarily surrendered to the Leawood Police Department ... on a level 5 felony charge involving theft of funds valued at approximately $160,000," the archdiocese said in a May 23 statement.

The alleged theft occurred at the Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood just outside of Kansas City, Kansas. Storey had resigned from that parish in September 2025 amid "a criminal investigation involving [Storey] concerning another adult," according to the archdiocese.

Kansas City Archbishop Shawn McKnight said on May 23 that the theft allegations were "deeply painful for all of us in the Catholic community, particularly given the nature of the allegations involving resources entrusted to the Church through the sacrifice and generosity of the faithful."

The archdiocese said a recent financial review identified discrepancies in the parish's finances that "warranted referral to law enforcement." The parish will be filing an insurance claim to cover the losses, the archdiocese added.

The archbishop urged parishioners at the Leawood parish to "treat one another with greater sensitivity, patience, charity, and respect as we move through this together, trusting that with faith in Christ, our community can emerge stronger and more united."

The prelate further thanked archdiocesan vicar general Father John Riley, the temporary administrator of the Leawood parish, for his "steady leadership and care for this community during this difficult time."

Arrest records show that Storey was booked on May 23 and posted $250,000 bond. The priest could face up to four years in prison on the charges.

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The U.S. bishops will continue to face a lawsuit over millions of dollars in contested papal donations after the U.S. Supreme Court on May 26 refused to weigh in on the case.

The decision represents a blow for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), which was seeking to have the lawsuit dismissed on religious liberty grounds.

The high court did not explain its reason for rejecting the petition from the U.S. bishops, issuing the decision as part of a larger order list.

Rhode Island resident David O'Connell filed the class action suit against the bishops in January 2020, alleging that the prelates had misled Catholics about the nature of the annual Peter's Pence papal collection.

O'Connell claimed he had been led to believe that the offering — which dates back centuries and which is used to help fund the pope's charitable initiatives — was strictly for emergency assistance to victims of war and poverty; O'Connell said he subsequently found out it was used in part to "defray Vatican administrative expenses."

The U.S. bishops argued in court that the suit should be dismissed on the grounds of the "church autonomy doctrine," a long-standing principle in U.S. case law that bars the government from exercising control over internal church decisions. Both a federal district court and an appeals court ruled against the bishops.

The Supreme Court's refusal to consider the case means it will continue to work its way through the lower courts.

In a statement on May 26, Daniel Blomberg — a senior attorney at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which is representing the bishops — said the decision was "disappointing." But he said the USCCB is "evaluating all of its options moving forward" and "remains committed to protecting the Church from unconstitutional government entanglement."

Multiple religious advocates have come out in favor of the bishops in the dispute.

A coalition of organizations including the Thomas More Society, the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod, and several other groups filed an amicus brief at the Supreme Court in January arguing that their respective religious beliefs involve "matters of internal governance that must be protected from government entwinement."

In their petition to the Supreme Court, meanwhile, the bishops alleged that O'Connell was "leveraging civil power for religious ends," claiming the plaintiff was "essentially seek[ing] the structural reform of a religious institution."

Such disputes "are beyond the ken of civil courts," the bishops argued, claiming that the suit includes "demands for lists of papal donors, accounting for the pope's use of Peter's Pence, and disclosure of the bishops' internal communications with the Holy See about Peter's Pence."

The suit threatens to "thrust civil courts into church pulpits and pews ... pit millions of parishioners against their Church, and second-guess the meaning of an offering given to the head of a foreign religious sovereign for over 1,000 years," the bishops said.

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On the via Appia Antica, beyond the Aurelian walls, sits the ancient basilica of San Sebastiano fuori le Mura. It is one of the most important churches in Rome, not only because it is one of the seven pilgrimage churches of Rome, but also because it is where the remains of Sts. Peter and Paul were taken (it was known as "Basilica Apostolorum" before it was dedicated to St. Sebastian) during the Christian persecution.

It is also here, deep in the catacombs that lie beneath the extant basilica, where St. Philip Neri had his spiritual epiphany on the eve of Pentecost in 1544. It is here where the beloved Second Apostle of Rome committed himself to a life of charity.

Early life, arrival in Rome, and the catacombs

Born in 1515 to a wealthy Florentine family, the young Filippo Neri was brought up with a classical education by the Dominicans of the Monastery of San Marco. While displaying great promise, intelligence, and business acumen he ultimately rejected his familial inheritance to follow a spiritual vocation of service. After a brief sojourn in San Germano, he arrived in Rome in 1534, which unknown to him at the time would be his final destination.

Upon his arrival, he witnessed an ecclesiastical climate that was characterized by corruption, vice, and decadence. However, it was in the Catacombs of San Sebastiano (St. Sebastian) where Neri spent hours in quiet contemplation and intense prayer.

There was perhaps no better place. After all, the silence of the catacombs (the burial site of Christians who died for their faith, among them once the remains of Sts. Peter and Paul, as well as St. Sebastian) provided a stark contrast to the squalor and vice of the streets above.

The catacombs, in a sense, were representative of the evolution of the Church's life in Rome — persecution and dominance, faith and apostasy, splendor and squalor. Neri's spiritual exercises stood at the intersection between the ancient and the old — a return to the earliest traditions of the paleo-Christian age, for it was this martyr's unwavering faith, persistence, and death that paved the way for a Christian Rome.

It is fitting, then, that his spiritual epiphany happened there at Pentecost. Asking God for the gift of the Holy Spirit, it came down as a great ball of fire, entering through his mouth and settling into his heart (this experience was so intense it caused an enlarged heart and lifelong palpitations when engaging in his spiritual exercises). It is (just as it was for the Lord's disciples in the upper room) representative of spiritual zeal — the burning fire of God's love that animated both the apostles and, later, Neri, to go out and evangelize.

Founding of the Archconfraternity of the Most Holy Trinity

In 1540, Neri, while he was still a layman — it wasn't until 1551, at the age of 36, that he was ordained a priest — established the Confraternita della Santissima Trinità (the Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity), given canonical status by Pope Paul III.

It was in the jubilee of 1550 that Neri invoked what is now an archconfraternity to care for the many pilgrims who traveled from afar, especially those who were the most needy.

The archconfraternity is still active today in the Church of Santissima Trinita dei Pellegrini (built in 1614 over the site of an older church dedicated to St. Benedict), a personal parish of the Fraternity of St. Peter (an Ecclesia Dei community dedicated to the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass). Through their numerous activities for Rome's poor, they continue to embody Neri's example by providing a living example of faith and charity.

A model of contemporary Christian life

This year St. Philip Neri's feast day (May 26) falls on the Tuesday after Pentecost. He holds a special place in the city of Rome's heritage and made an indelible mark upon the spiritual life of the city and the universal Church through his founding of the Congregation of Oratorians, his popularization of the 40-hour devotion, and the Roman pilgrimage of the Seven Churches. Underscoring all of his deeds was love and charity.

In 2015, the Church celebrated the fifth centenary of Neri's birth. On this occasion Pope Francis remarked: "St. Philip Neri also remains a luminous model of the Church's ongoing mission in the world. The perspective of his approach to neighbor in witnessing to all to the love and mercy of the Lord can serve as a valuable example to bishops, priests, consecrated people, and lay faithful."

This story was first published on May 26, 2023, and has been updated.

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The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) announced the names of four priests to be consecrated as bishops on July 1 without the permission of Pope Leo XIV.

The general house of the society published the announcement on May 26 after being warned by the Vatican on May 13 that its plan to consecrate bishops without a papal mandate would constitute "a schismatic act" and carry the penalty of excommunication. The consecrations will take place at its seminary in Écône, Switzerland.

The four priests announced are Fathers Pascal Schreiber (Switzerland), Michael Goldade (United States), Michel Poinsinet de Sivry (France), and Marc Hanappier (France).

The statement from the SSPX general house declared that the decision to move on with the consecrations was made "in a spirit of respect toward the supreme authority of the universal Church" and would be "a service rendered to souls and to the Church amid this unprecedented crisis of the faith."

The SSPX, which exclusively celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass, maintains doctrinal differences with certain teachings and reforms of the Second Vatican Council, particularly regarding religious freedom and the Church's approach to other faiths.

The decision to proceed with the consecrations without papal approval was confirmed in a Feb. 18 letter from SSPX superior general Father Davide Pagliarani, following talks with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith that had broken down earlier that month.

The Holy See Press Office did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

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During the presentation of Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, the co-founder of Anthropic, Christopher Olah, pointed to three major ethical challenges posed by the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and called for a profound discernment regarding its future.

On May 25, addressing representatives from the realms of academia, diplomacy, and religion gathered in the Vatican's Synod Hall, Olah stated that the questions raised by AI "are larger than the research community" and cannot be left solely in the hands of scientists or technology companies.

"We need more of the world — religious communities, civil society, scholars, governments, and indeed all people of goodwill — to do what His Holiness has done here: to take this seriously, to look closely, and to push events in a better direction," he stated.

Olah began his remarks by acknowledging that even the most advanced AI laboratories, including Anthropic, operate under economic, geopolitical, and personal incentives that can come into tension with the common good.

"The pressure to stay commercially viable and to stay at the research frontier; geopolitical pressure and the older, plainer pressures of pride and ambition" inevitably influence those who develop this technology, he noted.

Consequently, he underscored the importance of having outside voices capable of questioning and overseeing the development of AI.

"If we want this technology to go well, it is enormously important that there be people outside those incentives — people who care about things going well and insist on safety, who are paying close attention, who are willing to say hard things," he noted.

In this context, Olah deemed the discernment called for by Pope Leo XIV to be "profoundly timely" and outlined three major issues where the voice of the Church is necessary.

1. Duty to the global poor

The first major concern raised by Olah was the impact of AI on work and global inequalities.

"AI development is concentrated in a handful of wealthy nations. How can we ensure the gains of AI are shared globally?" he asked.

He warned of the "real possibility" that AI could "displace human labor on a very large scale," which would make supporting affected workers "a moral imperative of historic proportions."

However, Olah noted that there exists an even more complex challenge: the absence of mechanisms capable of fairly distributing economic benefits.

"We do not have a mechanism for this. It is an unsolved problem, and it is the kind of problem the Church has historically refused to let the world ignore," he said.

2. Rediscovering and rethinking what it means to flourish as a human being

The second consideration presented by the co-founder of Anthropic was the need to approach technological development from the perspective of human and familial flourishing.

"If AI models are going to be widespread, what does it look like for humans, families, and the world to flourish?" he asked.

"These are not questions that a lab can answer," he continued.

Olah noted that many parents are already concerned about the impact of technology on their children's minds, while numerous people feel uncertain regarding the future of their jobs.

In this regard, he highlighted the role of the Church, which he said has spent millennia reflecting on human dignity and the meaning of life. Olah emphasized the need for the Church to continue doing so "into this new moment in history."

3. The need for discernment on the part of AI model developers

The third concern raised by Olah related to the very nature of AI systems, an aspect he said remains mysterious, even to those involved in developing them.

"I am a scientist. I lead a research team that studies the internal structure of these models — what is actually happening inside them. And I will be honest: We keep finding things that are mysterious, even unsettling," he stated.

Among these findings, he cited internal structures that "mirror results from human neuroscience" as well as evidence of introspection and internal states that "functionally mirror joy, satisfaction, fear, grief, and unease."

"I don't know what that means, but I think it warrants ongoing discernment," he pointed out.

He even compared the phenomenon to "bringing a fictional character to life," noting that "we're entering an extraordinary world where those fictional characters speak to us, do work, have jobs."

In concluding his remarks, Olah called upon more sectors of society to follow the example set by Pope Leo XIV in seriously addressing the phenomenon of artificial intelligence.

"We need moral voices that the incentives cannot bend. Today is just the beginning — the start of a long collaboration between those of us who are building this and those who can see what we, from inside, cannot," he noted.

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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KOLKATA, India — The unprecedented visit of Marco Rubio, U.S. secretary of state, to the mother house of the Missionaries of Charity (MC), commencing his May 23–26 trip to India, has brought joy to the congregation founded by Mother Teresa, canonized as St. Teresa of Kolkata in 2016.

After landing at Kolkata airport in the early hours of May 23, Rubio headed straight to the mother house. Accompanied by his wife, Jeanette Dousdebes, he attended a special Mass at the tomb of the nun, known as the "saint of the gutters," on the ground floor of the mother house and placed a wreath of flowers on it.

"With Respect and Tribute from the People of The United States of America" read the card pinned to the wreath Rubio placed on the tomb of Mother Teresa, which is thronged by hundreds of pilgrims daily.

After the nearly hourlong Mass, Rubio spent another half hour with the Missionaries of Charity sisters at the mother house as dozens of excited novices looked on from the upper verandah.

"It was beautiful. His respect for the mother is amazing. We thank God for this visit," Sister Concettina, the congregation's secretary-general, told EWTN News after Rubio left, briefing the media, who had waited patiently outside for a couple of hours.

From the mother house, Rubio and his entourage moved to Shishu Bhavan (a children's home), 650 feet away on the same A.J.C. Bose Road, where Rubio handed out teddy bears to destitute children with disabilities.

"Mother Teresa left a tremendous legacy of compassion and service. I was honored to visit the Missionaries of Charity today to pay homage to her legacy," Rubio said on X before flying from Kolkata to New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Telegraph, an English-language daily based in Kolkata, also hinted at the significance of Rubio's mother house visit, titling its report "U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits mother house in Kolkata on first leg of India trip."

A long-scheduled day of double joy

Later that afternoon, it proved a long-scheduled day of double joy for the Missionaries of Charity, with 25 novices of different nationalities taking their final professions at Auxilium Parish Church in a solemn service led by Archbishop Elias Frank of Kolkata in the presence of hundreds of sisters.

"It is a day of double joy for us," Sister Marie Juan, one of the senior Missionaries of Charity councilors who formally "accepted" the vows during the two-hour service — with Superior General Sister Mary Joseph away in Australia — told EWTN News while coming out of the church.

The senior Missionary of Charity official was responding to an EWTN News question on how she felt about the U.S. secretary of state visiting the Mother House at the start of his four-day visit to India.

An act of solidarity amid recent strains

The congregation had previously undergone a stressful period when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by Modi canceled its FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) license to receive foreign donations on Christmas Day 2021 — alongside thousands of Indian church and secular advocacy and charity groups, including Bread for the World and Compassion International.

Following widespread Indian and international outcry, the Modi government restored the Missionaries of Charity's FCRA license within a fortnight, after peers in the U.K. House of Lords slammed the decision in a Jan. 6, 2022, debate.

"This unique visit is reassuring for us," Alexander Anthony, secretary-general of the All India Catholic Union — the official national lay network for Catholics in India — told EWTN News on May 26.

The Rubio visit, said Kolkata-based Anthony, "is an act of solidarity with the MCs and Christian community in India. It gives out a clear message to the rulers as the community is distressed."

India has reported steadily increasing incidents of anti-Christian violence, rising from 127 in 2014, when Modi assumed power, to 834 by 2024.

The Christian community has been on edge recently after the BJP, for the first time, took power in West Bengal state — of which Kolkata is the capital — in the April elections, amid widespread criticism of the deletion of more than 9 million voters from the rolls, equivalent to 12% of the voter list.

Even the Missionaries of Charity sisters in Kolkata had to appeal to get their voting rights restored, The Times of India reported.

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