Catholic News
- Use communications to heal, Pope urges audience (Vatican News)
At his regular weekly public audience on July 30, Pope Leo XIV spoke on Christ’s healing of the deaf-mute man, related in the Gospel of Mark. The Pontiff remarked that the man’s friends, who brought him to Jesus, provide an image of the Church. Pope Leo urged the faithful to use all forms of communication as means to heal rather than to wound. He said that the prevalence of social media in a “hyperconnected” society too often “leaves us exhausted and confused.” “Let us ask the Lord to heal our way of communicating,” the Pope said. - Pope meets with new French Catholics, stresses importance of Baptism (Dicastery for Communication (French))
Pope Leo XIV received a group of French neophytes and catechumens on July 29 and reflected on the importance of the Sacrament of Baptism. “Baptism makes us full members of God’s great family,” Pope Leo said. “The initiative always comes from him and we respond to it by experiencing his love that saves us.” “Baptism introduces us into communion with Christ and gives life,” he continued. “It commits us to renounce a culture of death that is very present in our society. This culture of death manifests itself today in indifference, contempt for others, drugs, the search for an easy life, a sexuality that becomes entertainment and objectification of the human person, injustice, etc.” “Baptism makes us witnesses of Christ,” the Pope added. “You are called to share your experience of faith with others, witnessing to Christ’s love and becoming missionary disciples.” - Let Christ be the compass that guides your work, Pope tells Catholic universities (Dicastery for Communication (Spanish))
In a message to the International Federation of Catholic Universities for its conference in Mexico, Pope Leo XIV expressed the desire that Christ “may be the compass that guides the work of the university institutions over which you preside,” “There are many ‘siren songs’ that are attractive because of their novelty, their popularity, or, on other occasions, because of the apparent security they inspire,” Pope Leo warned. “Beyond such impressions, which are inherently superficial, Catholic universities are called to become ‘paths of the mind toward God,’ according to the felicitous expression of St. Bonaventure.” St. Thomas Aquinas “understood well that in Christ-Wisdom there is at the same time what is most proper to our faith and what is most universal to human intelligence, and therefore, wisdom, thus understood, is the natural place of encounter and dialogue with all cultures and all ways of thinking,” the Pope added. “Thus, we must not distance ourselves from Christ, nor relativize his unique and proper place, in order to converse respectfully and fruitfully with other schools of knowledge, ancient or recent.” - DR Congo priest recounts massacre at parish (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
The parochial vicar of the Congolese parish targeted in a terrorist attack discussed the massacre in an interview with the Vatican newspaper. Father Dieudonné Liringa said that families of Catholic Action and Eucharistic Crusade members spent the night in a parish hall following a Mass marking the 25th anniversary of the Eucharistic Crusade in the parish. The attack took place during the night, as they slept. “Our young people, our mothers, our fathers, who had come for the Jubilee, had been massacred” during the night, he said. “We went to the place where they had spent the night, about 500 meters from the church, in one of the large halls the parish uses on the main road. Then the military arrived to count the bodies.” The priest also said that the assailants abducted some children, one of whom has escaped. - Jerusalem's Christian leaders condemn Israeli settlers' attack on Palestinian Christian town (Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem)
The patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem expressed their “profound concern and unwavering condemnation” after Israeli settlers again attacked the Palestinian Christian village of Taybeh in the West Bank. The Christian leaders demanded that the Israeli government protect the town’s residents and hold the perpetrators accountable. - Cardinal Parolin reiterates call for Palestinian state, decries hunger in Gaza (Vatican News)
Noting that the Holy See and the State of Palestine have had full diplomatic relations for a decade, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, said that the solution to the crisis in the Holy Land is “the recognition of two states, living side by side, independently but also in cooperation and security.” The prelate also lamented the hunger crisis in Gaza and discussed the Russian invasion of Ukraine: “I don’t think the Vatican can be accused of not being neutral. We have always tried—while speaking truthfully—to stand close to both sides and, above all, to help find a path toward a resolution of the conflict.” - France, Australia, and UK no longer majority Christian (Newsweek)
Christians no longer constitute a majority of the population in France, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay, according to new figures from the Pew Research Center. The Pew data show 120 of the world’s nations as having Christian majorities—four fewer than in 2010. The decline is primarily due to the increasing number of people who do not identify themselves with any religious faith. - Pontiff notes 50th anniversary of Helsinki Accords (Vatican News)
At the conclusion of his Wednesday audience on July 30, Pope Leo XIV called attention to the coming 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Accords, a key step in the easing of international tensions during the Cold War. “Today more than ever, it is essential to preserve the ‘spirit of Helsinki’ to persevere in dialogue, to strengthen cooperation, and to make diplomacy the privileged path.” the Pope said. - Vatican authorizes private devotion to alleged Italian Marian apparitions (CWN)
The prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has authorized private devotion to recent alleged Marian apparitions at Mount S. Onofrio near the small town of Agnone. - USCCB migration chairman welcomes bipartisan Dignity Act (USCCB)
The chairman of the US bishops’ Committee on Migration expressed his appreciation for the Dignity Act, introduced by Reps. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) and María Elvira Salazar (R-FL). “At a time when instances of bipartisan cooperation seem to be few and far between, especially related to immigration, I am deeply grateful ... for this sustained commitment to working across the aisle,” said Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso. “Bipartisan proposals such as the Dignity Act are a step toward fulfilling the call made by our Holy Father to offer a better way forward—one that begins and ends with respect for the God-given dignity of every person.” Newsweek reported that “the Dignity Act offers a compromise: enhanced border security and mandatory E-Verify paired with a seven-year renewable legal status—but not citizenship—for undocumented immigrants who arrived before 2021, provided they pay restitution and comply with DHS monitoring” - Let us be 'influenced' and changed by the love of Christ, Cardinal Tagle preaches to influencers (Fides)
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, one of the two pro-prefects of the Dicastery for Evangelization, celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on July 29 for participants in the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers. “Jesus is not a face or voice generated by a digital program,” he preached. “He is the image of the Invisible God, the first-born of all creation. Love cannot be generated by an algorithm. Only a divine person with a human heart can love divinely and humanly, effecting profound and enduring change.” - Federal judge bars defunding of Planned Parenthood's non-abortion activities (Religion Clause)
A federal judge extended her earlier ruling barring the federal government from cutting off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood clinics that do not offer abortions. In her new ruling, Judge Indira Talwani barred Congress from cutting off Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood’s non-abortion activities. - Talitha Kum leader calls for increased prayer, advocacy for human trafficking victims (UISG)
In a statement for the the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons (July 30), Sister Abby Avelino, MM, the coordinator of Talitha Kum, called for increased education, advocacy, prayer, and accompaniment of survivors. Founded in 2009, Talitha Kum is an international network of women religious working against trafficking in persons. In its newly released annual report, Talitha Kum stated that it “expanded its support to victims and survivors by 20%” in 2024. - Pontiff renews call for peace negotiations (Vatican Press Office)
At the conclusion of his July 27 Angelus address, Pope Leo XIV called for “negotiations aimed at securing a future of peace for all peoples, and for the rejection of anything that might jeopardize it.” After offering prayers for victims of the Thailand-Cambodia border conflict and of violence in southern Syria, Pope Leo said, “I am following with great concern the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the civilian population is suffering from severe hunger and remains exposed to violence and death. I renew my heartfelt appeal for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the full respect of humanitarian law.” “Every human person possesses an inherent dignity, bestowed by God himself,” he added. “I urge all parties involved in conflicts to recognize this dignity and to end every action that violates it.” - Cardinal Pell ordered probe of 'potentially illegal' bank transactions (Pillar)
During his term as prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, the late Cardinal George Pell uncovered evidence of “potentially illegal” banking transactions by the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA), The Pillar has reported. In a 2016 memo, which The PIllar has obtained, Cardinal Pell instructed Libero Milone, then the Vatican’s auditor general, to investigate APSA transactions that appeared to have been deliberately altered to “shield the true identity of owner/source of funds.” Such alteration of records could be classified as bank fraud, and could support charges that the Vatican was open to money-laundering. The results of Milone’s investigation into Cardinal Pell’s findings have not been made public. Milone, who was forced to resign in 2017, has said that he was fired because he had discovered widespread financial corruption, and has threatened to make public the evidence of what he discovered. - Flood Peru with the Good News of Christ, Pope asks young people (Dicastery for Communication (Spanish))
In a Spanish-language address to a group of Peruvian pilgrims attending the Jubilee of Youth, Pope Leo reflected on the parables of the mustard seed and of leaven, mentioned in the Gospel reading of the day. “In these days of joy of the Jubilee of Young People, all of you will have the beautiful experience of feeling part of the People of God, part of the universal Church, which encompasses and embraces the whole earth, without distinction of race, language or nation; spreading like the mustard bush and fermenting like yeast,” Pope Leo said to the pilgrims during the July 28 audience in Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace. “I would like you to keep everything you experience during these days in your hearts, but not to keep it only for yourselves,” the Pope continued. “I would like you to flood those lands with the joy and strength of the Gospel, with the Good News of Jesus Christ, when you return to Peru.” - Russian Orthodox official meets with Pope Leo (Moscow Patriarchate)
Pope Leo XIV received Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, on July 26 (photographs). Metropolitan Anthony conveyed best wishes and congratulations to Pope Leo from Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, for Leo’s election as Pope. The Pontiff, in turn, “expressed gratitude to Patriarch Kirill for his good wishes and emphasized the importance of strengthening relations with the Russian Orthodox Church,” according to the Moscow Patriarchate. “The discussion touched on numerous issues, including the state of Orthodox-Catholic dialogue and ongoing global conflicts, particularly in Ukraine and the Middle East,” the Patriarchate added. The Russian Orthodox Church, with 164.1 million members, is the largest of the Orthodox churches (CNEWA profile). - Use social media with faith and love, Cardinal Parolin tells Catholic influencers (CWN)
Leading Vatican officials, including the Secretary of State of His Holiness and the prefects of two curial dicasteries, addressed participants in the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers on July 28. - Build a culture of peace, Pope urges 'digital missionaries' (Vatican News)
Speaking on July 29 to participants in the Jubilee for Digital Missionaries, Pope Leo XIV exhorted them to “work together to develop a way of thinking and a language of our time, that gives voice to love.” The Pope spoke of the role that every Christian can play in promoting peace: Peace needs to be sought, proclaimed, and shared everywhere; both in the tragic places of war and in the empty hearts of those who have lost the meaning of existence and the taste for interiority, for spiritual life.” Pope Leo spoke at a Mass at which the celebrant, Cardinal Luis Tagle, said in his homily that the social media could promote a culture of peace. “Daily life is a tapesty of criss-crossing influences,” the cardinal observed, and participation the social media have an impact on families, neighborhoods, schools, and communities. - Wounded Gaza Catholic, a Vatican newspaper contributor, writes about Israeli strike on parish (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Suhail Abu Dawood, a young Gaza Catholic who writes regularly for L’Osservatore Romano, described the recent Israeli military strike on his parish, during which he was severely wounded. “The bomb was so strong that I couldn’t protect myself from the shrapnel, so unfortunately I was injured in the lower back; the shrapnel came out of my right leg, causing serious injuries inside my stomach and abdomen,” he wrote. “I felt excruciating pain, fell facedown to the ground, and my body began to bleed profusely.” “I will never forget what the priests told me when my pain became excruciating,” he added. “They said: Remember Calvary! Jesus was there on the Cross, suffering and dying, and you too placed all your suffering and pain on the Cross.” - More...