Catholic News
- West Bank Christians face increasing intimidation from Israeli settlers, priest says (Vatican News)
The parish priest for Latin-rite Catholics in Taybeh, a Palestinian Christian village in the West Bank, said that residents there face increasing harassment from Israeli settlers, including trespassing and setting fire to land. Father Bashar Fawadleh told Vatican News that “legal options exist, but they are unfortunately very limited and rarely effective. That is why international presence and pressure are vital right now. We need concrete protection for civilians and genuine political will to bring an end to this violence.” “I invite every Catholic diocese worldwide to speak out about the situation here, to talk about these Christian brothers and sisters who are living in terror,” he continued. “The birthplace of the Christian community must not vanish into silence.” Father Fawadleh also appealed to Pope Leo to “intervene for this last Christian village in the West Bank, so that these settler attacks cease and the occupation of our land stops. We simply want to live in peace, with justice and dignity.” - Ceuta's bishop criticizes Moroccan and Spanish officials, calls for prayer (Diócesis de Cádiz y Ceuta)
In the aftermath of the Ceuta migrant crisis, the local bishop criticized Moroccan and Spanish officials: the former for their slogans and “malicious promises,” the latter for failing to protect the city. Bishop Ramón Valdivia Jiménez, auxiliary bishop of Seville and apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Cádiz and Ceuta, wrote on August 8: On one side of the border were young people with no future who threw themselves into the unknown, driven only by political slogans or malicious promises; adults who took advantage of the chaos to flee criminal charges in their country, perhaps thanks to some premeditated pardon devised for this occasion; and boys and girls who, abandoned by their families, became cannon fodder for predators; on the other, there are people who have felt their personal space violated; families fearful that, whether at night or in broad daylight, these individuals would enter their homes and demand food or a charge for their cell phone batteries; closed businesses, fear in people’s eyes, uncertainty about the possibility that they might reappear; and, above all, the anger stemming from the lack of protection that those in power are supposed to guarantee. Bishop Valdivia also thanked Our Lady of Africa for her maternal care and called the faithful to a prayer vigil on August 14. “I believe it is necessary to turn our gaze to God,” he wrote. “When neighboring powers threatened Israel’s frailty, the Patriarchs and Prophets raised their hands and begged for divine mercy. So too, Jesus Christ wept at the destruction of Jerusalem. For this reason, I urge you to hold a Prayer Vigil for Peace, Stability and Justice in Ceuta in all the parishes of the Diocese, as suggested by Pope Leo XIV on the evening of the vigil of the Assumption of Mary.” - Jordan's government begins preparations for 2000th anniversary of Christ's Baptism (Petra)
Jordan’s state-run news agency reported that Prime Minister Jafar Hassan chaired the first meeting of the National Committee for the Preparation of the Celebration of the Second Millennium of the Baptism of Jesus Christ in 2030. Prime Minister Hassan “said commemorating the second millennium of the Baptism of Jesus Christ reflects Jordan’s historical and religious standing and its role as a global destination for Christian pilgrimage, while highlighting the Kingdom’s message of coexistence, respect for others, peace, love and human fraternity,” Petra reported. In 2025, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, consecrated the Church of the Baptism of Jesus in Jordan, at what is believed to be the site of the Lord’s Baptism, on land donated by King Abdullah II. - Chaldean Patriarch discusses current situation of Iraq's Christians (Vatican News (Italian))
The head of the Chaldean Catholic Church (CNEWA profile) discussed the challenges that Iraqi Christians currently face, from corruption and fears that the Iran-U.S. conflict will spread to lack of employment opportunities that lead young people to emigrate. In discussing these challenges, Patriarch Paul III Nona also told Vatican News that Iraq is much safer for Christians than it was a decade ago. Security, he said, “is generally good across the country. In the regions historically inhabited by Christians, the security problems of the past are no longer present.” - Schools should be 'laboratories of synodality,' leading Philippine prelate says (CBCP News)
The president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines called upon Catholic schools to become “laboratories of synodality.” “I propose that our Catholic schools become laboratories of synodality—living environments where young people do not merely learn about communion, participation, and mission, but actually experience and practice them,” Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa said in an August 10 address to school superintendents. “If we truly believe that young people are the ‘now’ of God, then we must not treat them merely as recipients of formation,” he continued. “They must also become participants and co-responsible protagonists in the mission of our schools and of the Church.” - Report: CDF members, in 2016, voted against supernatural origin of Medjugorje events (Catholic Herald)
An Italian journalist who did not name his source (or sources) reported that in 2016, the majority of members of the Congregation (now Dicastery) for the Doctrine of the Faith believed that the alleged Marian apparitions in Medjugorje were not of supernatural origin. David Murgia, who has a show on the occult on the Italian bishops’ TV2000 network, reported that 21 members of the congregation voted that the events were not of supernatural origin; nine voted that the events were of supernatural origin; and three believed that evidence for a decision was insufficient. In 2024, Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, in its Note About the Spiritual Experience Connected with Medjugorje, granted cautious approval to Medjugorje devotions. - Philippine nuns rescue women from human traffcking (Fides)
The Pontifical Mission Societies’ Fides News Agency highlighted the work of the Missionaries of Mary Queen of Heaven, a Philippine women’s religious institute whose members rescue girls and women from human trafficking and provide employment and rehabilitation programs. Sister Corazon Salazar founded the community in the Archdiocese of Cebu in 1996 and remains the superior general. Archbishop Alberto Uy of Cebu described the order’s work as a “beautiful and urgently needed apostolate.” - Pope issues appeal for Sudanese civilians amid prospect of mass atrocities (CWN)
Amid the prospect of mass atrocities in El Obeid, Sudan—a nation at civil war since 2023—Pope Leo XIV offered prayers and issued an appeal for peace. - Pope laments killing of civilians in Ukraine, Russia (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV lamented the killing of civilians in Ukraine and in Russia and renewed his appeal for peace. - Christ walking on water teaches us to avoid presumption and despair, Pope tells pilgrims (CWN)
In his August 9 Sunday Angelus address (video), Pope Leo XIV reflected on Christ walking on the waters of the Sea of Galilee, an event recounted in the Gospel reading of the day (Matthew 14:22-23). - Pontiff recalls 700th anniversary of origin of Marian shrine in Calabria (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV named Cardinal Francesco Montenegro, the archbishop emeritus of Agrigento, Italy, as his special envoy to the upcoming celebration of the 700th anniversary of the arrival of a Marian image on the shore near Praia a Mare, a small town in Calabria. The image, which arrived on August 14, 1326, is venerated in the Shrine of Our Lady of the Grotto. - Pontiff marks 900th anniversary of return of St. Agatha's relics to Catania (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV named Cardinal Pietro Parolin, his Secretary of State, as his special envoy to the celebrations marking the 900th anniversary of the return of St. Agatha‘s relics to the Sicilian city of Catania. - Be inspired by August saints, Pope tells young people (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV encouraged young people to be inspired by the saints who are commemorated liturgically at this time of year. - Report: Nigerian seminarian, other kidnapping victim released (Daily Post (Lagos))
A seminarian and another worshipper who were abducted from a church in Udi, Nigeria, have been released, the Lagos-based Daily Post reported. The report has not been confirmed by local police. The seminarian and two other worshippers were abducted on August 2; one of the other worshippers soon escaped. The remaining victims were released on August 9, according to the report. - Texas diocese announces additional location for traditional Latin Mass (Catholic Herald)
The vocation director of the Diocese of San Angelo, Texas, announced that the extraordinary form of the Mass will be celebrated in a second location. The extraordinary form is currently celebrated weekly in San Angelo; it now will also be celebrated monthly in Midland, a city where the Society of Saint Pius X has a chapel. “This is just a beginning as the diocese discerns a path forward to provide for our people,” said Father Ryan Rojo. “Other priests of the diocese will be learning the Mass in the weeks and months ahead.” - Indian Christian organization leader arrested for remarks on Hinduism (Catholic Connect)
Arun Pannalal, president of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum and a noted local religious-freedom advocate, was arrested on allegations of making social media posts critical of Hinduism. Pannalal was charged with “promoting enmity between groups, deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings, and intentional insult with the alleged intent of provoking a breach of peace,” according to Catholic Connect, a website of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India. The east-central Indian state of Chhattisgarh (map) is 93% Hindu, 2% Muslim, and 2% Christian. - Msgr. Rossetti resumes deliverance ministry after removal as DC exorcist (OSV News)
Msgr. Stephen Rossetti announced that he will conduct an online deliverance prayer session in September, months after Cardinal Robert McElroy of Washington ended his ministry there. Cardinal McElroy originally said that “statements made by Monsignor Rossetti linking UFOs to demonic presence and the [St. Michael] Center’s recent use of social media gravely undermine the Church’s very precise teaching on the devil, demons and exorcism.” The prelate later said that the dismissal ultimately “wasn’t touching on the question of UFOs” and that “my major objection is that I think the traditional role of an exorcist is a very private one. It’s a sacred one.” Msgr. Rossetti remains a priest in good standing in his home Diocese of Syracuse, New York. - 66% of Americans favor the death penalty (Pew Research Center)
66% of Americans favor the death penalty for murder, according to a survey of 3,554 U.S. adults conducted last month—up from 60% in 2021. The Pew Research Center broke down survey results by race, age, education level, and political party, but not by religion. - Rhode Island bishop to celebrate Masses for 'LGBTQ+ individuals, families, and friends' (Diocese of Providence)
The Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island, announced two upcoming parish events for “LGBTQ+ individuals, families, and friends.” Each event includes Mass celebrated by Bishop Bruce Lewandowski, a “dedicated time for listening humbly to the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals, families, and friends,” and a community dinner. - Nigerian priest elected SIGNIS president (SIGNIS)
Members of the World Catholic Association for Communication (SIGNIS) elected a new president for a four-year term. Father Walter Chikwendu Ihejirika, who earned a doctorate at the Pontifical Gregorian University, is professor of Development Communication and Media Studies at the University of Port Harcourt. - More...