Catholic News
- 'You are loved by Jesus,' Pope Leo tells anxious 18-year-old (Vatican Press Office)
The new issue of Piazza San Pietro, the magazine of St. Peter’s Basilica, includes a letter from Pietro, an 18-year-old from Reggio Calabria, Italy, and Pope Leo’s response. Pietro discussed his anxiety upon leaving high school, as well as his dream to start “a family united in the love of Christ.” “I would like to say to you, first and foremost, a word that comes before all others: you are loved by Jesus,” Pope Leo responded. “Not in an abstract way, but personally, just as you are today, with your questions and your dreams, your fears and your desires. This love precedes you and will always accompany you; it does not depend on the choices you make or the paths you take.” “Daily prayer, even if simple and few in words, listening to the Word of God, the celebration of the Sacraments and dialogue with wise people will help you to recognize which bonds to cherish and nurture, and which, without judgement, to prune,” the Pope continued. “Your dream of a family based on Christ’s love is a precious gift for the Church too; cherish it with confidence. The Lord does not disappoint the desires that He Himself has kindled in the heart.” Pope Leo concluded, “I assure you of my prayers. I ask for you the grace of inner peace, of trust and of a clear vision of your life. I entrust you to Mary, who as a young woman learnt to trust despite harboring in her heart questions greater than herself.” - Cardinal Parolin calls on European Parliament to promote peace, protect human dignity (Vatican News)
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, called upon the European Parliament to renew its commitment to peace and to protect human dignity at every stage of life. Referring to the Christian values that helped shape the continent’s history, Cardinal Parolin said that “among these is first and foremost the affirmation of human dignity, which is inviolable and must always be protected at every stage of life.” The prelate made his remarks at the European Parliament’s headquarters in Strasbourg, France, as he received the European Order of Merit award. - Synodality produces harmony, Cardinal Grech tells German Catholics (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
The Vatican newspaper published the full text of an address delivered by Cardinal Mario Grech, the secretary general of the Synod, to German Catholics gathered together for Katholikentag, a gathering held every two years. Cardinal Grech acknowledged that his audience was awaiting from him a comment on the decisions made by Germany’s Synodal Way. After comparing synodality to an orchestra, Cardinal Grech said that “what constitutes the distinctive nature of a synod, therefore, is not its infallibility, but rather the actual presence of Christ and His Spirit, a presence that emerges within the symphony, within the harmony among the participants.” He added: I am here for this very reason: to undertake with you the synodal exercise of tuning our instruments. The symphony, harmony and communion as a collective work, comes into being precisely through this continuous choice to play together, to be all tuned to the same note. Then, each instrument will interpret its own score, contributing richness and beauty to the single symphonic work. This means having no fear of differences; rather than allowing them to become sources of conflict and opposition, we make them grounds for discernment, for mutual listening, and for a shared desire to follow the Risen One and to recognize the signs of the times. - Trump administration agrees to permit sacraments at Illinois ICE facility (CWN)
A community-organizing coalition announced that it had reached an agreement with the Trump administration to permit daily pastoral care at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, Illinois. - Pontifical academy announces institute devoted to study of AI and environment (Vatican News (Italian))
The Pontifical Academy of Theology (PATH) announced the establishment of an observatory on the contribution of digital technologies to the environment. The academy’s president, Bishop Antonio Staglianò, said at a May 18 press conference that “an ethical approach to artificial intelligence and digital technologies is not sufficient. We must adopt a theological approach, and this is possible only if we re-found the underlying anthropology and reaffirm the dignity of the human being who utilizes the technology.” The observatory, according to a PATH press release, will focus on several concerns: the exploitation of natural resources and its environmental and social consequences; the growing energy demands of digital infrastructure; the new ‘human ecology’, spanning the digital environment and social relations; the impact of technology on young people—including addiction, misleading content and the erosion of social relationships—in a context that still lacks adequate regulation; and the development of proposals aimed at tech giants for a sustained commitment to reducing emissions and massive energy consumption globally - Vatican newspaper denounces economy oriented to war (CWN)
In the most prominent article in its May 19 edition, the Vatican newspaper denounced an economy oriented to war. - US bishops to discuss abuse policies at June meeting (USCCB)
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops announced the agenda of its June 10-12 meeting in Orlando, Florida. Among other items—including the consecration of the nation to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus—the bishops will discuss proposed revisions to their Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, the conference’s document addressing the sexual abuse of minors. The proposed revisions, according to the USCCB, seek to balance “care of and sensitivity to victim-survivors” with “an awareness of due-process, the rights of the accused,” while taking into account Vatican documents of recent years. - USCCB president laments shooting at Islamic Center of San Diego (USCCB)
The president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) expressed “profound sorrow and prayerful solidarity” following the Islamic Center of San Diego shooting, which left five dead, including the two perpetrators. “We stand with Chief Imam Taha Hassane, the entire Muslim community, and all who mourn in the wake of this senseless violence, affirming our shared commitment to the dignity of every human life and the rejection of hatred in all its forms,” said Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City. Archbishop Coakley added: In moments such as these, we are reminded of the call to be instruments of peace; as Pope Leo XIV has said, ‘Where violence wounds the human family, compassion and unity must be our steadfast reply.’ May God console the grieving, strengthen the injured, and guide us all toward greater understanding, justice, and peace. - Over 200 immigrants from Hong Kong enter Church in UK (CBCEW)
246 immigrants from Hong Kong were received into the Catholic Church in ten cities in the United Kingdom at Easter, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales announced. Auxiliary Bishop Paul McAleenan of Westminster, the episcopal conference’s Lead Bishop for Migrants and Refugees, paid tribute to the witness of Catholics born in Hong Kong to their fellow immigrants. “An outstanding feature of the Hong Kong Catholic community who have settled in England and Wales in recent years is their attachment to their faith,” said Bishop McAleenan. “Their joy, fervor and enthusiasm are an inspiration. I thank them for their witness, and I welcome those from Hong Kong who were received and baptized into the Catholic Church at Easter.” - Statue of Christ beheaded at Long Island parish (East Islip Daily Voice)
An outdoor statue of Jesus was beheaded at St. Mary’s Church in East Islip, a town on Long Island in New York State. The Suffolk County Police Hate Crimes Unit is investigating the crime. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has documented over 400 acts of vandalism, arson, and other destruction at parishes and other Catholic sites in the United States since 2020. A tracker at CatholicVote.org lists additional attacks. - St. Nerses the Gracious, Armenian Apostolic saint, added to Roman Martyrology (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV announced the inclusion of St. Nerses the Gracious, a saint of the Armenian Apostolic Church, in the Martyrologium Romanum (Roman Martyrology), the Church’s compilation of saints and blesseds. - Iraqi Kurdish leader assures Pope Leo of commitment to protecting Christians' rights (CWN)
The president of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region met with Pope Leo XIV on May 18 and assured the Pontiff of his commitment to protecting Christians’ rights. - Pope Leo's first encyclical, on AI and the human person, to be released on May 25 (Vatican News)
Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, devoted to preserving the human person in the age of artificial intelligence, will be released on May 25. The Pope signed the encyclical, entitled Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity), on May 15, the 135th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII’s landmark social encyclical Rerum Novarum. In a departure from precedent, the Pontiff himself will attend the encyclical’s presentation and deliver an address. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Cardinal Michael Czerny, Anna Rowlands (professor at Durham University), Christopher Olah (co-founder of Anthropic), and Leocadie Lushombo (Jesuit School of Theology / Santa Clara University) are also scheduled to speak at the presentation. - Pakistan's bishops invite Pope Leo to visit nation (Radio Veritas Asia)
During a May 15 papal audience with the bishops of Pakistan, the president of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan invited Pope Leo to visit the nation. “In response, Pope Leo XIV expressed openness to the invitation and assured the bishops of his desire to visit Pakistan in the future,” Radio Veritas Asia reported. Islam is the official religion of the South Asian nation of 257 million (map), the fifth most populous in the world. 95% of Pakistan’s people are Muslim, 2% are Christian, and 1% are Hindu. - Leading Mexican bishop pleads with government to protect people from organized crime (EWTN News)
At a walk for peace that included Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament, the president of the Mexican Bishops’ Conference pleaded with government officials to provide the security needed to protect people from organized crime. Bishop Ramón Castro of Cuernavaca said on May 16 that “governing means not refusing to take up the responsibility of guaranteeing the security and well-being of every person within the territory entrusted to them.” Referring to a crime-ridden town, Bishop Castro added: Our heartfelt plea without mincing words is that Huautla not be left all alone; that the government do its job to help the mothers searching [for their disappeared children] an effort which they rightly deserve; that transport workers be afforded security; that thousands upon thousands of merchants—micro, small, and medium-sized alike—be able to work without having to pay protection money; and that our young people be provided with real alternatives: quality education, decent jobs, and personal safety, so that organized crime is not the only door open to them. - Ecumenism is crucial in the face of secularism, Armenian Apostolic Church leader tells Pope Leo (CWN)
Ecumenism is of “crucial urgency” in the face of secularism, Aram I, head of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, said on May 18 in an address to Pope Leo XIV. - Archbishop Hicks emphasizes importance of dialogue, speaks of disagreements with Mayor Mamdani (National Catholic Reporter)
In an interview with the National Catholic Reporter, Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York said that “under the Catholic umbrella, there are going to be different visions and different points of view.” “We have to be a Church of dialogue and realize that just my point of view might not be your point of view,” he continued. “It doesn’t mean that everything’s just relevant and open to debate, but there’s something truly that we believe in, and that’s our core, that’s our belief.” “I’m looking forward to listening, to dialogue, to grounding ourselves also in the truth,” he added. “Sometimes I think no matter what issue we’re talking about, we might not agree on everything that we’ve said, but at least somehow we can sit at the same table and be open to those conversations” Asked about New York City’s mayor, Archbishop Hicks said that “Mayor Mamdani and I have already met,” and “we agree that there’s many things we disagree on.” “The things that we do agree on, and if it can help the common good, let’s look for ways of collaboration,” added Archbishop Hicks, who was installed as archbishop in February. - Church in Malaysia is vibrant and attracting adult converts, cardinal says (Vatican News)
In a brief interview with Vatican News, Cardinal Sebastian Francis of Penang, Malaysia, emphasized that the Church there is vibrant. “The politics are quite stable and the Church is quite vibrant, quite alive, and we have many people inquiring about the Catholic faith as adults,” said Cardinal Francis, who was in Rome for an ad limina visit. “Many of them are requesting baptism as adults. That keeps us on our toes.” “Even if other parts of Asia may still be experiencing some kind of persecution, we should not fall into a trap of having a ‘minority complex,’ a persecution complex,” he added. “Of course, there are real issues, but we will continue to tell the story of Jesus in Asia.” Islam is the official religion of the Southeast Asian nation (map). 55% of Malaysia’s 34.9 million people are Muslim, 9% are Christian, 7% are Hindu, and 5% are Buddhist, with 19% adhering to Chinese folk religions and 4% to ethnic religions. - Italian president hails Pope Leo's commitment to peace (CWN)
Italian President Sergio Mattarella hailed Pope Leo’s commitment to peace in a message to the Pontiff marking the first anniversary of his inauguration Mass. - In Philippines, man accused of posing as priest seeks reconciliation with Church (CWN)
A Philippine layman accused of posing as a priest met with his local archbishop and sought forgiveness for his actions, less than a week after the prelate issued a public warning about his activities. - More...