Beloved Disciple Parish

Military personnel in dress uniforms attend the Armed Forces Jubilee Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Feb. 9, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Vatican City, Feb 9, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

Pope Francis presided over the Jubilee Mass for Armed Forces, Police, and Security Personnel on Sunday, with Archbishop Diego Ravelli reading his prepared homily as the pontiff recovers from bronchitis.

Over the Feb. 8–9 weekend, approximately 30,000 men and women from more than 100 countries participated in various jubilee festivities in Rome, including a pilgrimage to the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica.

During the outdoor Mass in St. Peter’s Square, Ravelli, reading the pope’s prepared homily, thanked those who have dedicated their lives to a “lofty mission that embraces numerous aspects of social and political life.”

“You are present in penitentiaries and at the forefront of the fight against crime and the various forms of violence that threaten to disrupt the life of society,” Ravelli read from the pope’s text.

The prepared homily continued: “I think too of all those engaged in relief work in the wake of natural disasters, the safeguarding of the environment, rescue efforts at sea, the protection of the vulnerable, and the promotion of peace.”

Praising their vigilance amid “the opposing forces of evil,” the homily noted that security personnel who protect the defenseless and uphold law and order in cities and neighborhoods can “teach us that goodness can prevail over everything.”

The papal text also acknowledged the chaplains who provide moral and spiritual support to military and security personnel, describing them as “the presence of Christ, who desires to walk at your side, to offer you a listening and sympathetic ear, to encourage you to set out ever anew and to support you in your daily service.”

The homily concluded with a call for those gathered to have the courage to be peacemakers who never lose sight of their purpose to save and protect lives, warning: “Be vigilant not to be taken in by the illusion of power and the roar of arms... Be vigilant lest you be poisoned by propaganda that instills hatred, divides the world into friends to be defended and foes to fight.”

Speaking in his own voice during the Angelus prayer that followed the Mass, Pope Francis invoked the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, for those who are the “servants of the security and freedom of their peoples.”

“This armed service should be exercised only in legitimate defense, never to impose domination over other nations, always observing the international conventions,” the pope said, referencing Gaudium et Spes.

“Brothers and sisters, let us pray for peace in the tormented Ukraine, in Palestine, in Israel and throughout the Middle East, in Myanmar, in Kivu, in Sudan,” he urged.

“May the weapons be silent everywhere and the cry of the peoples, who ask for peace, be heard!”

Cardinal Kurt Koch speaks to journalists at the Synod on Synodality press briefing held at the Vatican’s Holy See Press Office on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Madrid, Spain, Feb 9, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

In his acceptance speech for the honorary doctorate awarded him by the Catholic University of Valencia, Cardinal Kurt Koch rejected the extreme positions of progressives and traditionalists regarding the Second Vatican Council.

The prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity reflected in his address on the tension between the two essential parts of the Second Vatican Council: fidelity to the sources and fidelity to the signs of the times.

For the cardinal, “the relationship between these two dimensions has always characterized the Church, but the tension has become more acute in a new way after Vatican II.”

Faced with this dichotomy, Koch argued that “beyond secularist conformism and separatist fundamentalism, it is necessary to seek a third path in the Catholic faith, which has already been shown to us by the council.”

According to the prefect, both the so-called progressives and the traditionalists “conceive of Vatican II as a rupture, although in opposite ways.” For the former, the rupture occurred after the council, while the latter understand that it occurred during it.

In light of this, the cardinal considered that “the two extreme positions are so close, precisely because they do not interpret Vatican II within the general tradition of the Church.”

In his address, Koch recalled, with regard to the traditionalist view that focuses solely on the sources, that Pope Benedict XVI stated that “the magisterial authority of the Church cannot be frozen in 1962.”

The risk of worldliness in the Church

On the other hand, “if the emphasis is placed solely on ‘aggiornamento’ [updating], there is a danger that the opening of the Church to the world, desired and achieved by the council, will become a hasty adaptation of the foundations of faith to the spirit of the modern age,” the cardinal noted.

“Many currents in the postconciliar period were so oriented toward the world that they did not notice the tentacles of the modern spirit or underestimated its impact,” the cardinal observed, “so that the so-called conversion to the world did not cause the leaven of the Gospel to permeate modern society more but rather led to a broad conformism of the Church with the world.”

Koch’s proposal in the face of both positions, which he considers equally disruptive, is “the restoration of a healthy balance in the relationship between the faith and the Church on the one hand and the world on the other.”

In his view, if the Church cannot be confused with the world, “the original identity of faith and the Church must not be defined in such a way that it separates itself from the world in a fundamentalist way.”

In this sense, he added that the dialogue between the Church and the contemporary world “must not make faith and the Church adapt to the world in a secularist way, dangerously renouncing her identity.”

What does the reform of the Church mean?

For the prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, the reform of the Church cannot imply “a change of essence” but consists in “the elimination of what is inauthentic” through a process of purification of the Church “based on its origins,” so that “the form of the one Church willed by Christ can become visible again.”

“For the council, fidelity to its origins and conformity to the times were not opposed to each other. Rather, the council wanted to proclaim the Catholic faith in a way that was both faithful to its origins and appropriate to the times, in order to be able to transmit the truth and beauty of the faith to the people of today, so that they can understand it and accept it as an aid to their lives,” he emphasized.

For the cardinal, “the council did not create a new Church in rupture with tradition, nor did it conceive a different faith, but rather it aimed at a renewal of faith and a Church renewed on the basis of the spirit of the Christian message that has been revealed once and for all and transmitted in the living tradition of the Church.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Derek Ruth has written his story in a new book, “The Eight-Minute Flight.” / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Ruth family

Lincoln, Neb., Feb 9, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

It was a hard hit on the football field, but 12-year-old Derek Ruth of Lincoln, Nebraska, was able to answer all his coach’s questions correctly, so it looked like he was okay.

Suddenly, he ripped off his helmet, screamed, “My head!” and collapsed into his coach’s arms.

As he was life-flighted for emergency surgery, Ruth had a remarkable meeting with Jesus, the first of many tangible encounters he would have as he battled back from the traumatic brain injury. Now, 16 years later, he has written a book about his experiences to help people and to bring them to Christ: “The Eight-Minute Flight.”

“After my first initial encounter with Jesus in heaven, I kept quiet about that experience and only told a few select people, such as my parents and brothers,” Ruth recalled. “I decided to write a book about my life because Jesus kept appearing to me on somewhat of a regular basis when I was in my late teenage years, early 20s.”

His memory remains clear of standing before Jesus in heaven while emergency medical technicians were fighting to save his life. 

“I had no real sense of leaving my physical body,” Ruth said. “I could feel all my extremities when I was standing in front of Jesus. It was like I still had my earthly body, but everything was purified and glorified. The quality of the air in heaven made my body feel amazing, especially my hands and feet…. I just felt perfect.”

Overwhelmed with a sense of peace, Ruth’s eyes were focused on Jesus Christ, who stood before the boy, emanating pure love.

“The only way I can describe it is to say that the physical presence of Jesus is awesome!” Ruth revealed. “His face was perfect. It had a beautiful glow that was completely white — the whitest white I have ever seen. The heart of Jesus was bursting with unconditional light.”

During this moment, the Lord gave Ruth a choice. And so his battle to recover from a traumatic brain injury began.

After his first surgery, Ruth was comatose and resting on a tilt table that elevated his head, a proven method of increasing successful recovery. Doctors also employed induced hypothermia, cooling his body to further protect his brain. A second surgery ensued when his brain continued to swell.

When he finally awoke, he was unable to do anything for himself. The once-healthy athlete only had the use of his left hand.

“Words cannot even come close to giving a comparison to that feeling,” Ruth remembered. “It was just flat out brutal, and at that point I was scared to death.”

Day by day, he fought to regain everything he had lost in the head injury. His family — including his mother and grandfather, who are both physical therapists — remained at his side to help, and countless people prayed for his recovery.

When things got tough, Ruth, a member of North American Martyrs Parish in Lincoln, turned to prayer.

“My faith has gotten me through every trial and tribulation I was faced with,” he stated. “My faith has only grown stronger, along with my personal prayer life.”

While still an inpatient at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, he finally told his mother about meeting Jesus in heaven.

“My mom was not surprised or shocked when I told her about being in heaven with Jesus, because Mom knew the person I was and understood how important my Catholic faith is to me,” he said. “Mom also knew about my devotion to the most holy rosary.”

As his recovery progressed, he would occasionally be in prayer when Jesus or the Blessed Mother would appear to him. After learning about Mother Teresa from Father Raymond Jansen, a priest in the Diocese of Lincoln, he began praying for her assistance, and she, too, appeared to him.

“Every appearance I have had up to this point came as an unexpected surprise, and it is scary,” he admitted, “… praying to Jesus and Mary and just having them appear to me unexpectedly!”

Now a University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate with a sociology degree, Derek lives independently despite some lingering effects from the brain injury. He is limited in his gait and fine motor movements, and he uses a text-to-speech device for verbal communication.

“The visible marks such as my numerous scars are a constant reminder of what I have been through,” he said.

Overall, Ruth emerged with stronger faith and gratitude.

“This experience has changed me by [teaching me to] not take anything for granted, even the little things, because I have learned the hard way how life can change just like that.”

Through the years, Ruth has journaled about his recovery, faith, and encounters with Christ. During college, he determined to put it all into a book so that he could share it with a wider audience.

Now he finds himself in high demand from various retail outlets and organizations who want to book him for speaking engagements.

“I would love to continue telling my story in hopes that it will inspire others,” he said.

“The Eight-Minute Flight” is now available for purchase locally and online. Ruth’s website is theeightminuteflight.com and contains more details, photos, and testimonials from people who have read advanced copies of his book.

One person who shared a testimonial is Bishop James Conley, who met Derek in 2013 shortly after he was installed as bishop of Lincoln.

“Getting to know Derek as a friend and hearing his remarkable story of faith, courage, trust, resilience, and acceptance has profoundly moved me as a bishop,” Conley said.

“Derek’s deep Catholic faith, nurtured by devout parents, continues to inform his life, providing him with a firm foundation for his hope, purpose, and motivation to move forward in life day after day. Through hard work, discipline, and perseverance, and with the heart of a true athlete, Derek continues to provide true hope for all of us, particularly as he describes in vivid language the long and enduring road of rehabilitation.”

This story was first published by Southern Nebraska Register on Jan. 10, 2025, and has been reprinted here with permission.

Approximately 200 Venezuelan migrants cross the Rio Grande seeking to surrender to the Border Patrol in their pursuit of humanitarian asylum on March 31, 2023. / Credit: David Peinado Romero/Shutterstock

Caracas, Venezuela, Feb 8, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

The bishops of the United States and Venezuela are both opposed to the Trump administration’s looming elimination of temporary protected status (TPS) for recent Venezuelan immigrants.

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed this week that it will eliminate the extension that the Biden administration announced in January that allowed Venezuelan immigrants to access TPS until October 2026.

TPS is a temporary immigration benefit granted to foreign nationals of a qualifying country. Under it, immigrants can legally remain in the United States and get work permits. The measure was originally announced for Venezuela in 2021 and then extended in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Following the DHS decision, this immigration benefit will expire on April 7. The U.S. government estimates that approximately 350,000 Venezuelan immigrants were eligible for TPS under the Biden administration’s 2023 renewal of the program.

The DHS, headed by former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, assures that although certain conditions that led to the renewal of TPS for Venezuela in 2023 “can continue,” the department considers that in the South American country “there are notable improvements in several areas such as the economy, public health, and crime that allow these citizens to be safely returned to their country of origin.”

Noem considers, after analyzing the issue with other government agencies, that the elimination of TPS for Venezuelan immigrants is necessary “because it is contrary to the national interest” to allow Venezuelan citizens to temporarily settle in the United States.

TPS, the Trump administration notes, has allowed a large number of immigrants to cause “difficulties in local communities,” especially immigrants belonging to the Venezuelan criminal gang known as Tren de Aragua, accused by the United States government of “sex trafficking, drug smuggling, shootouts with police, kidnappings, and exploitation of immigrants.”

For the DHS secretary, allowing Venezuelan citizens to remain in the United States under the protection of TPS “does not defend the fundamental interests” of the country, nor does it “put American interests first.”

“The foreign policy interests of the United States, especially in the Western Hemisphere, are best served and protected by reducing policies that facilitate or encourage illegal and destabilizing migration,” DHS said.

U.S. and Venezuelan bishops oppose the move

The Catholic bishops of the United States and Venezuela do not share this reasoning. In a statement to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, Chieko Noguchi, spokesperson for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), described the Trump administration’s measure as “counterproductive.”

Noguchi said the elimination of TPS for Venezuela does not reduce the pressure on American communities and urged the Trump administration “to consider the adverse impact this measure will have on citizens and noncitizens alike.” She also called on Congress to work “on a meaningful reform of the immigration system,” which contributes to “well-regulated borders and humane and orderly immigration.”

“Ending this temporary legal protection that allows people to work, pay taxes, and contribute to our society will only lead to further disruption and would appear to risk diverting the attention of law enforcement efforts from legitimate threats to public safety,” Noguchi said.

For their part, the Venezuelan bishops did not hesitate to express their displeasure with the decision by the Trump administration.

Bishop José Antonio Da Conceição, secretary-general of the Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference, told ACI Prensa that rescinding TPS “gives a large contingent of people who wanted to comply with the laws of the United States illegal status.”

“The fairest thing was to evaluate each case and take legal measures,” the bishop of Puerto Cabello pointed out. He also noted that the Church asks governments to address the phenomenon of migration “with solidarity and respect for the rights of migrants.”

Although the doctrine of the Church, he continued, guarantees that sovereign states can safeguard their territory, “this does not justify the inhuman and persecutory treatment of immigrants.”

“Pope Francis has said that migrants are accompanied by God, who guides them and gives them hope. All inhuman treatment against them is a sin that cries out to heaven,” Da Conceição said.

The bishop noted that the Venezuelan bishops will hold their 123rd Ordinary Plenary Assembly next week, from which a pastoral exhortation will emerge that will address the issue of Venezuelan migration and other urgent issues.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

German theologian and journalist Matthias Kopp — spokesman for the German Bishops’ Conference and a consultant to the Vatican Dicastery for Communication — was in Iraq this past week to present his new book, “The Christian Legacy in Iraq.” / Credit: Syriac Catholic Eparchy in Mosul

ACI MENA, Feb 8, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

German theologian and journalist Matthias Kopp — spokesman for the German Bishops’ Conference and a consultant to the Vatican Dicastery for Communication — was in Iraq this past week to present his new book, “The Christian Legacy in Iraq.”

German theologian and journalist Matthias Kopp — spokesman for the German Bishops’ Conference and a consultant to the Vatican Dicastery for Communication — was in Iraq this past week to present his new book, “The Christian Legacy in Iraq.”

His itinerary, which is taking him to Baghdad, Mosul, and Erbil, included a discussion of the book at the Catholic University in Erbil and meetings with Church leaders in the three cities. Archbishop Udo Markus Bentz of Paderborn accompanied Kopp on the trip.

In an interview with ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, Kopp shed light on the book’s chapters, documenting the suffering of Iraq’s Christians through various historical phases. 

He recalled Pope John Paul II’s planned visit to Iraq in 1999, ultimately canceled by then-president Saddam Hussein. 

“It was a great disappointment for Pope John Paul II,” Kopp said. “He had hoped to inaugurate the new millennium with a visit to Iraq.”

Kopp said he has traveled to Iraq whenever possible, even during the period of ISIS control, and highlighted what he considers the most critical chapter of his book: the fall of Hussein, the struggle to draft a new constitution, the devastating impact of ISIS on Christians and Yazidis, and the prospects for rebuilding after 2017. 

He emphasized that the book is not only intended for Christians seeking to understand their history but also for politicians who need to grasp the political ramifications of Iraq’s past and present.

Throughout the book, Kopp also explores the future of Christianity in Iraq, considering the country’s economic and security challenges and the hopes of younger generations. In his view, the Catholic University in Erbil stands as a beacon of hope for these youth. Kopp also expressed interest in expanding his research to include Christian heritage in other conflict zones, such as Syria and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Endorsed by Pope Francis who wrote the foreword, the book carries special significance. Reflecting on the pontiff’s endorsement, Kopp shared: “I was deeply moved when I received the envelope containing the pope’s introduction. I see it as a powerful message to the people of Iraq — a proof that the Holy Father has not forgotten them.”

During his tour of Mosul’s churches, Kopp observed tangible signs of reconstruction and the resurgence of Christian life. 

“When I stood amid the ruins of churches in Mosul, I felt the weight of history,” he said. “But in Qaraqosh (Hamdaniya), the landscape was different. We attended a Mass with a thousand worshippers and participated in a grand candlelit procession through the city.”

This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated and adapted by CNA.

A poster announces a campaign organized by the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network (PACTPAN) to end human trafficking. / Credit: PACTPAN

ACI Africa, Feb 8, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

Over 30 African countries have confirmed their participation in a campaign to end human trafficking organized by the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network (PACTPAN).

The campaign, which begins Feb. 8, the feast day of St. Josephine Bakhita, a former slave of Sudanese descent and patron saint of victims of human trafficking, is designated for prayer and awareness of human trafficking.

This year, more than 30 countries in Africa will celebrate Mass in what is probably one of the biggest campaigns PACTPAN theologians have organized to create awareness against trafficking. Peaceful marches have also been organized in the countries that have confirmed their participation in the campaign under the theme “Restoring Hope in Africa: A Jubilee Call to End Human Trafficking.”

Uganda’s vice president, Jessica Rose Epel Alupo, is set to deliver a keynote address on the theme of the campaign. In the whole of East Africa in particular, Uganda has been said to be the most hospitable to refugees, especially from South Sudan — some of them victims of human trafficking.

Coordinating the campaign is PACTPAN’s director of programs, Sister Leonida Katunge, who shared details of the event with ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa.

A member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Archdiocese of Mombasa, Katunge said a total of 22,500 people from 35 countries have already registered to take part in the campaign physically through peaceful demonstrations and prayer events.

Out of the 35 countries, only 10 will not be participating in in-person gatherings due to political instabilities, Katunge said.

“We have up to 10 countries where members will not go to the streets due to their current political upheavals. These include the Democratic Republic of Congo, where there is widespread violence,” she explained. “These countries will follow the livestream on the PACTPAN YouTube channel. We are out to walk together, even on social media platforms, to fight this war.”

Countries that have shared their programs for the campaign, especially on St. Bakhita’s feast day, include Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Lesotho, Cameroon, Tanzania, and Senegal.

In South Sudan, Giningakpio Justin Dapu, who is organizing the PACTPAN campaign in the Diocese of Tombura-Yambio, told ACI Africa that more than 1,000 people in the South Sudanese diocese have already registered for the mega event. 

“We have mobilized 1,300 people who will participate in the campaign on Feb. 8. We have formed a team of 35 very well-trained and knowledgeable people who are in charge of the logistics of the campaign. They are the ones in charge of ground preparation, awareness creation, and mobilization,” Dapu said, adding that the people of God in South Sudan, the world’s newest nation, which used to be part of Sudan, especially feel compelled to celebrate the feast of St. Bakhita.

“In fact, as part of our campaign against human trafficking, we plan to start a devotional group named St. Bakhita to deeply seek her intercession in this fight,” Dapu said.

Highlighting the events leading to the Feb. 8 campaign, Katunge said: “We began by calling for a webinar through various networks where I am a member. I then had some human trafficking survivors speak to us. Then we thought it wise to involve the continent, and this is what basically we did since December 2024, and we are still struggling to get there.”

Katunge said that PACTPAN has, over the years, invested in grassroots collaborations to address issues affecting African communities such as human trafficking. She said PACTPAN’s shared vision of addressing human trafficking resonated with many African leaders, adding that the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year also inspired widespread participation.

Katunge, who headed the national steering committee for Kenyan participants in the dialogue between Pope Francis and the African youths, explained that the campaign against human trafficking is deeply connected to the theme of the 2025 Jubilee Year, “Pilgrims of Hope.”

“We are basing ourselves on the Gospel of Luke’s call to liberation and justice for all captives and, this time, those tied to modern slavery,” Katunge said.

She said the PACTPAN campaign embodies the call for freedom by addressing modern-day slavery and exploitation, encouraging healing, and fostering hope among communities in Africa.

Katunge is a practicing advocate of the High Court of Kenya who focuses on property law and family law and described the dire human trafficking situation in Africa, highlighting cases of forced labor, sexual exploitation, and child trafficking as well as organ harvesting — which she said is “getting worse day after day.”

“During my research and the documentary compilation, I listened to many cases of trafficking of women from West Africa to Europe and the Middle East,” Katunge said of the documentary she put together in May 2024, also showcasing exploitation of children in conflict zones.

PACTPAN’s planned march against human trafficking is organized in partnerships with church networks, nongovernmental organizations, youth organizations, and governmental agencies and will feature a clear itinerary, including starting points in key African cities, messages of hope, prayers, and moments of silence for victims.

“Logistics such as transportation, security, and media coverage are being handled collaboratively and locally to ensure success,” Katunge said.

The participation of a vice president of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Mombasa in the campaign brings significant credibility, visibility, and influence to the event, she said. 

“It demonstrates high-level political commitment, encouraging other leaders to prioritize anti-trafficking efforts, and amplifies the campaign’s reach across national and regional levels,” Katunge told ACI Africa. 

PACTPAN has lined up various other activities in the context of the 2025 Jubilee Year celebrations to raise awareness against human trafficking in Africa. According to Katunge, “the campaign runs to 2030 and the war goes on.”

“We will take part in the U.N. day for trafficked persons on the 30th of July from this year until 2030. We plan to have a continental team that will fight this war in these years,” she said.

She further shared that there will be interfaith prayers for victims of human trafficking, workshops to educate communities on identifying trafficking networks, and fundraising events to support survivors.

Policy forums are also to be held to advocate for stricter anti-trafficking measures, Katunge said, adding that cultural festivals will also be held to promote unity and hope during the 2025 Jubilee Year, which Pope Francis officially launched on Christmas Eve 2024 with the opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica of Rome.

The PACTPAN official said the network of African theologians also plans to have a center in Africa where young people, especially girls, will be equipped with skills to shield them from traffickers. 

“Telling these girls to stop going to these countries where they are trafficked is one thing. But how are we supporting them if they stay?” she posed, and continued: “We want to collaborate with the states to keep these young people at home and to provide them with training and jobs. It is possible and we are sure we will get there.”

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA's news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops headquarters in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Washington D.C., Feb 7, 2025 / 21:55 pm (CNA).

The U.S. Catholic bishops’ conference laid off 50 staff members in its migration and refugee services office Friday, citing a delay in reimbursements from the federal government.

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ spokesperson Chieko Noguchi, in a statement shared with CNA, said the job cuts were due to “continuing uncertainty regarding refugee resettlement and the overall future of those programs.”

“Please pray for these dedicated men and women who have given so much of themselves in service to their sisters and brothers in need,” Noguchi said.

The layoffs, first reported by The Pillar website Friday night, mark an escalation of a deepening political and financial crisis for the USCCB and its affiliated charitable agencies, whose decades-long role providing essential services for migrants and refugees largely paid with federal funds has come under scrutiny from President Donald Trump’s administration.

The USCCB directs the bulk of the more than $100 million in federal grants it receives annually to affiliate organizations that provide migration and refugee services such as Catholic Charities. 

A large portion of funding comes from grants through the federal U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) to help resettle refugees who have been vetted by the federal government. 

According to the USCCB’s audited financial statements, federal funding covered more than 95% of what the conference spent on refugee and migrant programs in recent years. The USCCB has spent slightly more on these services than what is covered by federal funding, according to the financial statements.

In 2023, the most recent year reported, the USCCB spent more than $134.2 million on these services with federal grants covering more than $129.6 million of the spending. In 2022, the USCCB spent nearly $127.4 million after getting nearly $123 million from the government.

According to the USCCB Committee on Migration, the Catholic refugee resettlement network includes more than 65 affiliate offices throughout the United States. The bishops self-report that the USCCB and its Migration and Refugee Services help resettle about 18% of refugees who enter the country every year.

The Pillar reported Friday night that a memo announcing the staff cuts was emailed to U.S. bishops by USCCB General Secretary Father Michael Fuller on Feb. 7.

The memo followed White House directives to freeze federal grants and loans to nongovernmental organizations, and statements by Vice President JD Vance criticizing the USCCB for receiving federal money to help “resettle illegal immigrants.”

Fuller informed the bishops in the memo that “to the best of my knowledge” no resettlement agencies or other nongovernmental agencies, including Catholic Relief Services, had received reimbursement from the federal government for their services since Trump took office on Jan. 20, The Pillar reported.

On its website, Catholic Relief Services, which provides aid to the poor and other people in need in more than 100 countries, is urging its supporters to contact their representatives in Congress to let them know that they are “deeply concerned about the administration’s recent decision to stop work on almost all U.S. foreign assistance programs.”

Kansas City Bishop James Johnston (left) and Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson Pérez (right) talk some clerical smack on “EWTN News in Depth” over their purportedly friendly Super Bowl wager.  / Credit: “EWTN News in Depth”/Screenshot

CNA Newsroom, Feb 7, 2025 / 21:05 pm (CNA).

On Super Bowl Sunday, players for the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are vying for a championship, a ring, money ($178,000 for winners versus $103,000 for losers), and a lifetime achievement.

The Catholic bishops of their respective dioceses have more modest things at stake: food, a $500 donation, and bragging rights. 

Even so, the bishops are talking some clerical smack over their purportedly friendly wager. 

It’s a rematch for Kansas City Bishop James Johnston and Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson Pérez, whose city’s teams played each other in the big game two years ago. (Kansas City won, 38-35, the first of two Super Bowl victories in a row. Philadelphia won the title in 2017, its only championship in the Super Bowl era.) 

For years, the bishops of dioceses whose teams make it to the Super Bowl have been placing a public bet on the outcome. This year, if the Eagles win, Johnston is supposed to provide Jack Stack barbecue (famous in the Kansas City area) for Pérez. If the Chiefs win, Pérez will provide Philadelphia cheesesteak for Johnston. 

Each bishop is also promising a $500 contribution to the other diocese’s Catholic Charities if his team loses. 

The two bishops made a joint Feb. 7 appearance on “EWTN News In Depth.”

Johnston, whose Chiefs are looking for an unprecedented third Super Bowl victory in a row, expressed confidence in coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes. 

Pérez sounded hungrier, though, in support of the Eagles, affectionately called “the Birds” by their loyal fans. 

“Well, I think the bishop and his Chiefs … are in for it. Because the Birds are hunting,” Pérez said. 

Pérez made two things clear during the interview: 

1.  He’s totally confident the Eagles will win. 

2.  He wants the benefit of a point spread. 

“Bishop Johnston, the bishops that I’m in retreat with asked me to ask you for two points since we’re the underdog,” Pérez said. 

(In such a case, if the Chiefs won by one point, Pérez would still win the bet. If the Chiefs won by two points, it would be what’s known as a “push,” and neither side would win. The Chiefs would have to win by three or more for Johnston to collect.) 

Johnston was having none of the retreat bishops’ suggestion. 

“You tell them to go back to their prayer,” Johnston said. 

Neither bishop can claim as much team spirit as Bishop Michael Burbidge, a Philadelphia native who had an Eagles emblem put into stained glass during a recent renovation of the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in his Diocese of Arlington, Virginia. 

Even so, the rival dioceses on Sunday have heavy-duty patron saints, as the bishops pointed out. Philadelphia has St. John Neumann (the fourth bishop of the city) and St. Katharine Drexel (a native of the city). 

Johnston’s see is called the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, making for an obvious go-to saint. 

“So we’re going to rely on good old St. Joseph, who’s the patron of the universal Church. So I think we’ve got him outnumbered there, with St. Joseph,” Johnston said. 

The program’s host, EWTN News President and COO Montse Alvarado, pointed out that Chiefs placekicker Harrison Butker is known for publicly expressing his Catholic faith, and she asked Johnston: “Do you think evangelizing in the end zone can bring fans to Christ?” 

“Well, I’m really encouraged by the faith of so many of the players, and not just on the field, but even afterwards in interviews, how many of them speak about their faith,” Johnston replied. “And so I think it’s a great witness of, you know, not covering your lampstand, but putting it out to where it can give light.”

Attendees kneel and reach for the monstrance as it passes by them during a procession at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, Indiana. / Credit: Jacob Bentzinger in partnership with the National Eucharistic Congress

CNA Staff, Feb 7, 2025 / 18:40 pm (CNA).

The next National Eucharistic Congress will be held in 2029, CNA confirmed today. 

“The National Eucharistic Congress, Inc. is thrilled to share that we have begun the initial steps in preparing for the 11th National Eucharistic Congress, in 2029,”  said Jason Shanks, CEO of the National Eucharistic Congress, in an email to CNA. 

“We look forward to reuniting as an American Church to celebrate our shared Eucharistic faith.”

The next iteration of the National Eucharistic Congress had last year been tentatively announced to take place in 2033, the “Year of Redemption” marking 2,000 years since Jesus’ crucifixion.

The location for the major Catholic event has not been shared, and Shanks said organizers will “provide more details about the 11th National Eucharistic Congress in the future.” 

The news about the date was first reported by The Pillar on Friday. 

Last July’s National Eucharistic Congress, the first such event to take place on American soil since World War II, attracted tens of thousands of people for several massive sessions of Eucharistic adoration in Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium, numerous talks and workshops related to the Catholic faith, and a 60,000-participant Eucharistic procession through downtown Indianapolis.

Shanks said they are “eager to build on the grace we received during our gathering in Indianapolis this past summer.”

“We recognize that the success of the previous congress can be attributed to the countless individuals who prayed and interceded for the event. So, we invite the Church to join us in praying not only for the planning of this future congress but that we might continue to Walk with One through this year of missionary sending.”

The 2024 Congress was a major part of the National Eucharistic Revival, an ongoing initiative of the U.S. bishops that calls Catholics to share their rekindled love of the Eucharist, the body and blood of Jesus.

This is a developing story.

Bernini’s famous baldacchino in St. Peter’s Basilica. / Credit: Ricardo André Frantz/Wikipedia/CC BY-SA 3.0

ACI Prensa Staff, Feb 7, 2025 / 18:20 pm (CNA).

A man desecrated the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican by climbing on top of it and throwing six candelabras that were on the altar to the ground, according to the Italian news agency ANSA.

After throwing the candelabras, the man began to remove the altar cloth, as can be seen in a video posted on social media. The subject was then quickly detained by security agents. 

According to ANSA, the suspect, of Romanian origin, was detained by the Vatican Police, after which he was identified and charged by agents of the Vatican Inspectorate. 

“This is an episode of a person with a serious mental disability, who has been detained by the Vatican Police and then placed at the disposal of the Italian authorities,” the director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, told ANSA. 

According to the Spanish newspaper ABC, the man was arrested because the basilica’s alarm was activated when he stood on the altar. 

In 2023 a similar incident was recorded when a man climbed the high altar and undressed, after which he was also arrested. 

The Code of Canon Law, the law that regulates the Catholic Church, establishes in canon 1210 that “in a sacred place” such as St. Peter’s Basilica, “only those things which serve the exercise or promotion of worship, piety, or religion are permitted in a sacred place; anything not consonant with the holiness of the place is forbidden.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.