Catholic News
- Mexico's President Sheinbaum meets with Cardinal Parolin, hails Pope's humanitarian vision (@Claudiashein)
President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico received the Secretary of State of His Holiness on August 5 and afterwards praised Pope Leo XIV’s humanitarian vision. “We discussed topics such as Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, in which he asserts that the development of artificial intelligence must be guided by ethical criteria, human dignity, justice, and shared responsibility, with the aim that its benefits contribute to the well-being of peoples,” President Sheinbaum said following her meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin. “The Pope’s calls for peace, fraternity, and closeness to the most vulnerable represent a humanitarian vision, indispensable at a time when the world needs to strengthen dialogue, solidarity, and cooperation among nations,” President Sheinbaum added. - Patriarch Kirill, in new book, calls on Russians not to shirk 'duty to be victors' (CWN)
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church argued in a new book that the Russian people have a “great responsibility not to shirk their historical duty to be victors.” - Leading Spanish prelate calls Ceuta migrant surge an 'invasion' (@MonsArguello)
The president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference described the surge of 60,000 Moroccans into Ceuta, a Spanish city of 84,000, as an “invasion.” “Biopolitics is key in the current world power structure,” Archbishop Luis Argüello of Valladolid said in a social media post. “Life is played with, and people—their dreams, hunger, sexuality, and data—are used in favor of profit and power. “Migrations are part of this strategy,” he added. “The Ceuta invasion is a test. Demography is a weapon.” - USCCB warns new Medicaid regulations will lead to administrative burdens, coverage loss (USCCB)
The general counsel of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), joined by officials of the Catholic Health Association of the United States and Catholic Charities USA, criticized aspects of the Trump administration’s interim Medicaid regulations. Referring to the regulations (the interim final rule with comment, or IFC), general counsel William Quinn and the other signatories wrote: We are troubled by the extent to which certain portions of the IFC are contrary to the statute, and by the significantly increased administrative burden the IFC will impose on providers. But most of all, we are profoundly concerned that requirements of the IFC will result in coverage loss for eligible individuals who rely on Medicaid to address their health care needs and to achieve their highest possible degree of self-sufficiency. The signatories discussed their concerns in a 13-page letter to Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The letter, dated July 31, was posted on the USCCB website this week. - The dominant culture has 'permeated ecclesial circles,' Cardinal Sarah warns in wide-ranging interview (Il Foglio)
The prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments warned that “the dominant culture has permeated ecclesial circles, and even preachers are not immune to this influence.” Lamenting “banal preaching, completely irrelevant, which does not meet the deep desires of man,” Cardinal Robert Sarah said in a wide-ranging interview that “man, even contemporary man, absolutely needs God, to hear about the Gospel, about eternal life, about spirituality.” “It is never licit to reduce the Gospel to social and horizontal themes, however relevant, because it is a failure in the very will of Christ, who sent us to preach eternal salvation, and not social redemption,” Cardinal Sarah said. He added: “I think there can be a reciprocity between Africa and Europe: Africa with its contribution of young, fresh, enthusiastic faith, wide open to martyrdom, and Europe with its two-thousand-year-old strength of holiness and doctrine.” “I think that Europe is terribly afraid to recognize that anti-Christian persecution is taking place, and often, more generally, anti-religious persecution. But persecution is crueler in Europe. Faith is marginalized, moral and Christian values are fought. The West has killed God, or rather, despised him, or rather fought him openly.” “Pope Leo, in this first year of pontificate, has shown great balance, a great ability to listen, a concrete desire to mend those tensions that had been created.” “It is a tragedy, indeed a real shame, that on an essential issue like the liturgy there is a kind of war ... Rituals cannot be arbitrarily abolished, and no one can say that a rite no longer exists, from one day to the next. I think that the theme must be taken into serious consideration, recovering the balanced, pastoral, and theologically founded position of Benedict XVI, who allowed both forms of the Latin rite to live, to influence each other, to be known by the holy people of God who, over the decades, will be able to choose which form corresponds most to their need for faith, silence, spirituality.” “The faithful have the sacrosanct right to participate in Holy Masses celebrated as the Church wants, and not according to the arbitrariness or whim of the individual priest.” - 'You are disciples before being influencers,' Vatican official tells communicators (Fides)
The secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization told members of the World Catholic Association for Communication (SIGNIS) that “Catholic communicators are first and foremost disciples before being influencers.” Addressing participants in SIGNIS World Congress 2026, which is taking place in Kigali, Rwanda, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu said that “today, the nations, the ‘panta ta ethne’ of the Lord’s mandate [Mt. 28:18-20], gather also on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and the countless platforms that did not exist only a generation ago.” “If these platforms are now where people search for truth, meaning, and belonging, then they are also where the Church’s communicators must also stand—not to chase attention, but to bear witness with wisdom and love,” said Archbishop Nwachukwu. - Vatican announces series of contemporary art exhibitions at universities (Dicastery for Culture and Education)
The Dicastery for Culture and Education announced the Catholic Universities Art Triennial (ART CUT), a series of art exhibitions at universities around the world. The series, whose theme is “Exercises in Empathy,” is scheduled to begin on August 27 at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The triennial will conclude in February 2028. “The concept of empathy offers the First Contemporary Art Triennial of Catholic Universities a fruitful opportunity to bring aesthetics and ethics into dialogue while also inviting every field of knowledge into interdisciplinary conversation,” said Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, the dicastery’s prefect. “It draws us closer to one another through the demanding, patient, yet deeply rewarding practice of mutual recognition.” The chief curator of the series is Nuno Crespo, dean of the School of the Arts at the Catholic University of Portugal. - New Vatican coin set features Pope Leo, St. Francis (Vatican City State)
The Vatican City State unveiled a new coin set, the first of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate. On higher denominations, the Pope’s portrait appears for the first time since 2014. On lower denominations, the papal coat of arms appears, as was customary under Pope Francis. In this Year of Saint Francis, the €5 bimetallic coin also portrays the saint’s spoliation. - Relic, 2 tabernacles desecrated at Madrid parish following repeated vandalism (El Debate)
A relic of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and two tabernacles were desecrated at a Madrid parish. “Because during the month of August the parish has no activity, the parish priest had withdrawn all the consecrated hosts prior to the attack,” the Spanish Catholic newspaper El Debate reported in its article on the desecration of the Church of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. The assailants “stole all the money, tools, and paint that were kept inside the church.” The church suffered several recent acts of vandalism, including “stones thrown at the architecture, continuous kicks at the entrances and even strong insults” that interrupted Masses. At the beginning of the year, excrement was smeared on bathroom walls and ceilings. - Vatican dicastery thanks Lord for gift of priests (Dicastery for the Clergy)
The Dicastery for the Clergy thanked the Lord “for the gift of all priests, who are called each day to be living signs of Christ’s mercy, shepherds after His Heart, and tireless proclaimers of the Gospel.” “Through the intercession of the Holy Curé of Ars, we entrust priests throughout the world, that they may be sustained in fidelity, in the joy of their ministry, and in pastoral charity,” the dicastery stated on the memorial of St. John Vianney, patron saint of parish priests. “May their lives, nourished by prayer and the Eucharist, continue to be a light and a source of hope for the People of God.” - Logo, motto announced for apostolic journey to France (Vatican Press Office)
The Holy See Press Office announced the logo and motto of Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming apostolic journey to France (September 25-28). The logo features a cross, pointed arch, and dove within a round stained-glass window; the trip’s motto is “that the world may have life” (cf. Jn 6:51). - Church in Cuba distributes US humanitarian aid (Fides)
The Church in Cuba is distributing humanitarian aid recently granted by the State Department to Catholic Relief Services. “As a Church, we are fully aware that we cannot reach everyone, and this is a reality that causes us great sorrow,” said Bishop Juan de Dios Hernández Ruiz, S.J., of Pinar del Río. “If you do not receive assistance, it does not mean that you are not in need, but rather that there are others whose situation is even more critical.” - The Dominican friars: a numerical overview (CWN)
The Church today commemorates the memorial of St. Dominic (1170-1221), founder of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans). - Vatican newspaper editor praises Christopher Nolan's Odyssey (Vatican News)
Vatican News, the news agency of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, published a laudatory review of Christopher Nolan’s film The Odyssey. Andrea Monda, editor-in-chief of L’Osservatore Romano, wrote that the film director “has taken on an immense challenge and has succeeded in handling Homer’s masterpiece, even while reshaping it.” “Fatalism and freedom, superstition and reason, conscience, psychology, power and diplomacy—all these themes are woven into Nolan’s three-hour film, which takes on Homer’s monumental epic with confidence, fully aware that a story like this will always remain compelling and deeply moving,” added Monda, who taught at a classical high school before becoming the newspaper’s editor-in-chief. - Indonesian man raises funds to build 219 churches (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
L’Osservatore Romano devoted the most prominent front-page article in its August 7 edition to the work of Albertus Gregory Tan, a 36-year-old Indonesian man who has raised funds to build 219 churches and chapels in remote villages. The Vatican newspaper reported: Gregory insists that the greatest achievement is not measured in bricks, concrete, or impressive statistics; as he states, “buildings are merely the visible result,” whereas the true mission “is to build up people, bring hope, strengthen faith, and remind those on the margins that they are not forgotten.” - Vatican announces program for papal journey to France (Dicastery for Communication - Vatican Media)
The Vatican today announced the program for Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming apostolic journey to France. The Pontiff is scheduled to visit Paris and Saint-Denis on September 25, depart for Lourdes on September 26, and depart for Metz on September 28, before returning to Rome that evening. Nineteen events are planned over the four days, including Masses celebrated at the Place de la Concorde in Paris, the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, and Metz Cathedral. - Cardinal Parolin, at Guadalupe, emphasizes presence, witness, and prayer (Vatican News (Spanish))
The Secretary of State of His Holiness emphasized presence, witness, and prayer as he celebrated Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City on August 5. The Blessed Virgin Mary’s “presence brought comfort and security to a society that had experienced rapid and unexpected changes,” Cardinal Pietro Parolin preached. “Her apparition revealed a way to reconcile cultures and peoples within a truly universal faith, where there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, but where all are united and are one.” “Her example challenges us to be present, too, for the needy, the marginalized, migrants, and foreigners,” Cardinal Parolin continued. “A faithful witness to the truth of the Gospel can transform hearts and, consequently, transform the world.” The prelate added that “each of us is invited to set aside time to open ourselves to the Lord and truly listen to the promptings of the heart. When the Lord speaks of giving us His peace, a peace the world cannot give, He speaks of something that is found only in prayer.” - Australian bishops issue statement, 'Living the Gospel in Times of Social Division' (Australian Catholic Bishops Conference)
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference today released a 15-page statement, “Living the Gospel in Times of Social Division.” “We are living through an era of heightened community tension and a growing normalization of abusive behavior, incendiary language and violence,” said Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, S.D.B., of Perth, the president of the bishops’ conference. “The Gospel offers a different path. It calls us back to Jesus Christ, who meets division not with hostility but with mercy; not with the logic of ‘us and them’ but with the costly love that heals and transforms.” The Australian bishops’ tradition of releasing an annual social justice statement dates to 1940. - Franciscan minister-general issues letter, 'Clare, Woman of Peace' (Order of Friars Minor)
The minister-general of the Order of Friars Minor issued a letter, “Clare, Woman of Peace,” ahead of the upcoming memorial of St. Clare of Assisi. Written by Father Massimo Fusarelli, O.F.M., the August 1 letter to the Poor Clares has six sections: Clare on the Path of Reconciliation and Peace Gazing into the Mirror: Contemplation leading to Peace Francis and Clare: Two different Paths towards the same Peace Forgiveness and Guarding the Heart Stories of Peace Rediscovered Clare, a Prophet of Peace for our Time “As we celebrate 800 years since the blessed Transitus of Saint Francis, an evangelical man and preacher of reconciliation, the world continues to be torn apart by wars, divisions, and polarization, with little to no understanding of the Good News of ‘peace,’” Father Fusarelli began. “We feel this reality with great sorrow, as it is a challenge to all Christians but particularly to religious. And so we seek a word of hope, some light to shine and help us navigate through this time.” - 541 people currently living at Gaza parish (Vatican News)
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem said in an interview yesterday that Gaza’s sole Catholic parish is housing 541 people. As he discussed the present situation of Christians in the Holy Land, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, O.F.M., said that the 541 people “are trying, in whatever way they can, to return to normal life.” “We are working to reopen the school,” Cardinal Pizzaballa continued. “We have opened a medical center.” The prelate added that at the parish, “there are priests, but above all very active religious sisters who run activities for children, not only Christian children. In the midst of such a devastated reality, we are trying above all to recreate an environment that is as healthy and peaceful as possible.” - More...