Beloved Disciple Parish

Members of the Catholic nonprofit Strangers No Longer and others march to the Detroit ICE headquarters in July 2025. / Credit: Tom Tomala, Strangers No Longer

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 18, 2025 / 14:34 pm (CNA).

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Detroit Field Office recently met with a Catholic migrant aid group and a Democratic lawmaker to discuss questions about whether ICE is prioritizing deporting violent criminals and concerns about agents wearing masks during raids.

Acting field office director for Detroit ICE, Kevin Raycraft, and other ICE officials invited Catholics — including leaders of the nonprofit Strangers No Longer — to the Detroit headquarters on Aug. 12 after Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Michigan, intervened to secure a meeting.

Strangers No Longer first requested the meeting in July by marching from Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church to the ICE headquarters with several hundred demonstrators, many of whom were Catholic. The leaders had hoped to meet with Raycraft and deliver a letter outlining their concerns.

Thanedar told CNA the leaders “weren’t allowed to enter the ICE facility” in July and “that letter was not accepted by ICE” at the time. 

Thanedar was later able to arrange the August meeting, which included a priest, several nuns, and leaders of Strangers No Longer, who presented their letter and spoke with ICE agents for about an hour.

In its letter, the group expressed concerns about “face masks and the lack of identification” by agents during raids, along with “actions carried out without a federal warrant.” The group also alleged a lack of “communication with local law enforcement” before operations are carried out.

Strangers No Longer further criticized “the arrest of individuals who have committed no felony” and alleged that ICE “appears to be targeting men for incarceration and expedited removal, leaving women and children (many of whom are U.S. citizens) behind to ‘fend for themselves.’”

“This pattern of separating families is having a devastating impact on those left behind,” the letter added.

Victoria Kovari, one of the organizers of the July demonstration who attended the meeting, told CNA that the agents “were very respectful” and listened to “these stories … [about] how it’s impacting our community” but did not give any indication they would make any adjustments to immigration enforcement.

“We wanted this to be a dialogue,” Kovari said. “We wanted them to understand us and we want to understand them.”

Kovari said she spoke to ICE about cases in which agents arrived in unmarked vehicles wearing masks and carrying rifles to arrest people who “hadn’t committed any violent felonies.” She also spoke about parishioners who hadn’t committed any felonies “being picked up” by ICE for deportation.

“We really hope that they focus these [enforcement] priorities on the more difficult cases of gang members, drug cartel [members], drug dealers, violent offenders, and [work] with our local law enforcement,” she added.

“That’s what would really help our communities,” Kovari said.

Thanedar similarly told CNA the ICE agents “listened to us” and offered to help connect Strangers No Longer with some detainees, but that there was no indication they would make policy changes.

“Their response remained that these people — anybody that has broken the law — [ICE] will go after, and they were not willing to commit to prioritizing the hardened criminals and the people who are gang members, like the president has said,” he continued.

“What we are seeing lately is ICE is focusing more on migrants that have been working 20 years in the hospitality industry, working as cooks, doing landscaping, [and doing] work that makes our lives better,” Thanedar alleged.

Kovari added that Raycraft told the organization that many criticisms of ICE are based on “media manipulation,” which she said made the conversation more difficult.

CNA reached out to Detroit ICE, the national ICE headquarters, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for comment but did receive a response by the time of publication.

In a July 22 op-ed in the Detroit News, three weeks before the meeting, Raycraft addressed some of the concerns raised in the Strangers No Longer letter.

Raycraft said agents “identify themselves with visible markings, badges, or other identifiers” but “do not wear uniforms or drive marked vehicles.” He contested that assaults on agents have increased by about 830% and “our officers wear masks to protect their families.”

The op-ed states that agents follow the law when making arrests. He said the law allows for “the issuance of warrants upon a finding of probable cause that someone is [unlawfully] present” and works with courts to obtain warrants for other criminal matters. It adds that agents do not need to display the warrants.

Raycraft also said that ICE “routinely coordinates with local law enforcement agencies” and that they “know where to reach us … if there is an issue regarding communication.”

Catholic apologist Alex Jurado, known as Voice of Reason on social media. / Credit: Courtesy of Alexandro Jurado

CNA Staff, Aug 18, 2025 / 14:04 pm (CNA).

Breaking his silence one month after facing several allegations, Catholic influencer Alex Jurado in a video message shared to his YouTube channel on Aug. 17 admitted to inappropriately messaging women. 

On July 13, the Protestant website Protestia published a report alleging that “whistleblowers within the Catholic community” had revealed sexually explicit texts Jurado allegedly sent to an underage teenage girl when he was 20 years old. The site further alleged that Jurado had sent “sexually explicit messages” to several other women.

In his video message, Jurado denied the accusations regarding the inappropriate sexual relationship with an underage teenage girl saying: “This is not true. This is false.”

He explained further that law enforcement has been actively involved in an investigation related to these claims and that the investigation is ongoing. 

Jurado then addressed the claims made regarding the sexually explicit messages sent to multiple other women — those of whom were not underage. 

“As the public saw, I, on multiple occasions, fell into sin and gave into the desires of my flesh. And I regret to say that that is indeed true. I did fall into the sin of lust,” Jurado admitted. 

He added: “I really regret to say that in these moments of weakness, I led others into sin. And of course that’s wrong, of course that is repulsive, and it’s something that I am guilty of.”

The content creator went on to apologize to those women involved as well as all those who read the leaked messages “and were rightly disgusted by them because they were disgusting.”

“I’m going to have to spend the rest of my life in prayer and in penance to make reparation for all of the damage I’ve caused because I’ve caused a lot of damage,” he said.

On July 16, Jurado was barred from public events in his local Church amid the ongoing investigation.

Bishop Artur Bubnevych of the Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix issued a statement to the clergy of his eparchy stating that Jurado, “a regular attendee at one of our parishes,” is prohibited from “any activity or involvement … occurring in any facilities of or events being sponsored by the Eparchy of Phoenix until further notice.”

“We will cooperate fully with any authorized investigations which may occur in this matter,” the bishop wrote in his statement, a copy of which was obtained by CNA.

Jurado began his Voice of Reason social media ministry in 2023. The influencer has over half a million followers across his social media platforms including TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. 

His content is primarily apologetical, sharing and defending the faith and engaging with other non-Catholic points of view. As a Byzantine Catholic, he also promotes the Eastern rites of the Catholic Church.

Archbishop Borys Gudziak. / Credit: Screenshot from United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 18, 2025 / 13:34 pm (CNA).

At the United States-Russia summit, leaders failed to face “the fundamental moral and geopolitical questions” regarding the war in Ukraine, said Archbishop Borys Gudziak, adding that “until they do Ukrainians will be paying the ultimate price.”

On Aug. 15, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Alaska to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine. While the leaders described the meeting as “constructive,” it ended without a resolution.

The following day, Gudziak, who serves as the metropolitan archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, released a “blunt” statement on the controversial summit.

“A genocidal war criminal — who speaks explicitly about his aggressive intentions to re-conquer the countries that freed themselves from the atheistic Soviet yoke — was welcomed on American territory and given red carpet treatment,” Gudziak said in his statement.

“The desultory discussions did not lead to a single concession on the part of the aggressor,” Gudziak wrote. “Having ordered another barrage of deadly bombings on the day of the summit he was allowed to stand together with the president of the United States before a press conference backdrop ‘Pursuing Peace.’”

He added: “The worst did not happen, those standing for freedom and the innocent citizens of Ukraine were not sold out — but the cause of freedom, justice, and peace was not advanced.”

Gudziak ended his statement with a spiritual reflection. 

“There is a great illusion that the mighty of this world determine history, decide our fate. They do indeed have an impact, more often than not negative,” Gudziak said. “But the truth is that we are in the Lord’s hands and his truth will prevail.”

“And as David stands against Goliath, we’ve seen one miracle after another. And that miracle is the life, resilience, and solidarity of the little ones who are willing to risk everything for the truth — the truth of human dignity, the truth of God-given freedom, and the truth that evil will not prevail.”

Prior to the meeting, Trump told Fox News: “I won’t be happy if I walk away without some form of a ceasefire.” But following the summit, Trump changed his mind after speaking with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine and other European leaders. 

He wrote in a post to Truth Social: “It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a peace agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere ceasefire agreement, which oftentimes do not hold up.”

Trump is scheduled to further discuss the matter with Zelenskyy on Aug. 18 at the White House.

Cardinal Anders Arborelius of Stockholm at a consistory in St. Peter’s Basilica on June 28, 2017. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Oslo, Norway, Aug 18, 2025 / 12:17 pm (CNA).

Cardinal Anders Arborelius issued a pointed call for unity in the Diocese of Stockholm, clarifying the canonical status of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) and cautioning Swedish Catholics against choices that might undermine ecclesial communion.

The cardinal’s statement, released Aug. 15 on the solemnity of the Assumption, responded to controversy following episcopal acts performed in the diocese by Bishop Bernard Fellay, former superior general of the SSPX, without the knowledge or consent of the diocesan bishop.

According to the official clarification from the Diocese of Stockholm, the bishop of Stockholm alone exercises supervision over liturgical life within his jurisdiction, and no other bishop may perform ecclesial acts in the diocese without his permission, as required by canon law and the directives of the Holy See. The document noted that Fellay had conducted episcopal functions “without our bishop’s knowledge,” an act described as contrary to canon law and a cause of “division and discord,” EWTN Norway reported.

The diocese made clear that the SSPX does not live or act in communion with the Holy See, and its canonical status remains unclear.

Sacraments received from priests of the SSPX were described as “valid but illicit” (valid but not permitted), and the faithful were urged to avoid them.

The clarification added that such sacraments could not be entered into parish records — affecting access to baptismal or confirmation certificates — and that SSPX priests are not permitted to celebrate Mass anywhere in the diocese.

Arborelius specifically referenced Pope Leo XIV’s emphasis on strengthening the Church’s internal unity from the beginning of his pontificate, noting that “only from this interior unity can we contribute to fostering unity with other Christians.”

The cardinal emphasized that 2025 — both the jubilee year and the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea — provided key occasions to renew faith in “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.”

The Diocese of Stockholm stressed that Catholics who receive sacraments administered by the SSPX must understand that such participation “expresses a lack of unity with the diocesan bishop and Pope Leo XIV.”

The statement added that privately inviting church leaders to the diocese violated canon law and fostered division.

Arborelius tied the importance of unity to the jubilee year and the Nicaea anniversary, describing the Eucharist as the “sacrament of unity” and warning against anything that might sow division. He prayed for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, urging Catholics to remain steadfast in the unity entrusted by Christ to the apostles and their successors.

The diocese’s detailed clarification reaffirmed that the Church must guard her most sacred treasure — the sacraments — and that sacraments must always be celebrated in communion with the diocesan bishop and the pope.

The Society of St. Pius X was founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in Switzerland to preserve traditional Catholic practices amid the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

Lefebvre’s 1988 consecration of four bishops without papal approval led to his excommunication and that of the bishops, deemed a “schismatic act” by Pope John Paul II.

Although Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunications in 2009, the group remains outside full communion with the Church.

Recent Vatican concessions include Pope Francis granting SSPX priests the faculty to hear confessions validly in 2015 and authorizing diocesan oversight for valid SSPX marriages in 2017.

The Vatican has included a pilgrimage by SSPX on its official calendar for the 2025 Jubilee Year. In preparation for the pilgrimage, the SSPX reported that it began a novena to the Immaculate Conception on Aug. 11.

The American Life League has found that Planned Parenthood has received nearly half a billion dollars from pro-life states. / Credit: American Life League, Flickr CC BY-NC 2.0

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 18, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Planned Parenthood affiliates based in pro-life states rake in close to a half-billion dollars from various sources in annual revenue, which includes millions of dollars in taxpayer funds, according to a new report.

The revenue data, which was unveiled by the Catholic nonprofit American Life League (ALL) on Aug. 18, found that the financial performance of Planned Parenthood affiliates in pro-life states is nearly identical to the performance of affiliates in pro-abortion states.

Planned Parenthood still has 11 affiliates that represent 81 facilities in states that have heavily restricted abortion following the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. The average annual revenue for an affiliate in a pro-life state is more than $41.2 million, which means those affiliates combine for more than $450 million in annual revenue.

The abortion giant has more than 41 affiliates operating in states that have few restrictions on abortion, which represent 418 facilities. The average affiliate revenue in these states is nearly $43.4 million, which is only slightly higher than the ones in pro-life states. The affiliates in these states combine for nearly $1.8 billion in revenue.

Funding sources vary but include government and private grants, private donations, and client payments for services.

According to Planned Parenthood’s annual report for July 2023 through June 2024, about 40% of its revenue came from taxpayer funds, which accounted for nearly $800 million.

Long-standing federal law prohibits taxpayer funding for most abortions. Yet, until the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law, Medicaid funds could broadly cover non-abortive services at abortion facilities.

President Donald Trump signed the bill to prevent Planned Parenthood from receiving federal Medicaid reimbursements for non-abortive services for one year, but a court blocked that provision and ordered the government, which is appealing the ruling, to continue payments for now. 

Most pro-life states still allow affiliates to obtain state Medicaid funds, but the Supreme Court this year allowed South Carolina to enforce its ban on Medicaid reimbursements for Planned Parenthood. This has led pro-life lawmakers in some states to consider bills to ban affiliates from receiving payments.

The report notes that after recent closures, 29 Planned Parenthood facilities operate in Texas, a state that prohibits abortion in most cases, and 17 continue to operate in Florida, which prohibits most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. In Texas, Planned Parenthood affiliates received nearly $130.8 million in annual revenue and in Florida they received nearly $67.8 million.

Mississippi is the only pro-life state in which there is not a single Planned Parenthood affiliate operating, according to the report. Of states ALL considers to be pro-abortion, neither Wyoming nor North Dakota have a Planned Parenthood affiliate.

ALL National Director Katie Brown Xavios told CNA that it’s unclear what services these affiliates are making most of their money from but that “we know they’re still raking it in.”

She noted that even where abortion is restricted, each state includes some exceptions for when someone can obtain an abortion. In some cases, it includes a “health of the mother exception,” which she said is the exception that is “exploited the most.” 

Xavios said abortionists often use a broad definition of what constitutes a health risk, which can include depression or financial struggles, adding that that type of exception is the “easiest one to check that box for, to find an exception for.”

“Even in a state that is ‘pro-life,’ … abortions are still happening,” she added.

Xavios urged states to eliminate “all of the exceptions that let Planned Parenthood slip through the cracks,” saying they “have to start taking seriously total abortion bans” — a stance that no state has taken up to this point. 

“[States need to] take very seriously a total protection for human life and do something about the abortion pill being mailed,” she added.

Xavios noted that there has been some good news, with three Planned Parenthood affiliates shutting down recently in Texas amid fears of federal funding losses. She noted that a potential loss of funds, if a court reinstates the Medicaid reimbursement ban, “is contributing to a lot of facilities closing in certain states.”

However, she said that the freeze, which is currently in a state of partial legal suspension with ongoing litigation, is only in place for one year and “Planned Parenthood may find a way to subsidize that income that they’re losing and we may see these clinics reopen in a year.”

Xavios also said states need to enact laws that prevent affiliates from receiving state Medicaid reimbursements.

Father Jason Wallace (top center) with Archdiocese of Denver seminarians. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Archdiocese of Denver and Vianney Vocations

Denver, Colo., Aug 18, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The Archdiocese of Denver asked parishioners to share the names of young men they thought would make good priests.

The result? More than 900 names. 

But names aren’t the only outcome of the Called By Name campaign, which launched in May.

The monthslong campaign — a collaboration between the Denver Archdiocese and Vianney Vocations, a group that supports vocations efforts in Catholic dioceses around the U.S. — has also sparked a “real openness” to vocations in the hearts of young men in the community, said Denver Vocations Director Father Jason Wallace.

The campaign, he told CNA, has “created a culture” in which speaking about vocations is becoming “more acceptable.”

“It’s not something like, ‘Oh, that’s something somebody else does,’ or you have to receive a vision by an angel to be a priest,” he said.

After the campaign, Wallace noticed that some young men who hadn’t wanted to become priests felt a call to look at priesthood more seriously.

“Even men that I’ve already known who before were not open to it, all of a sudden are like, ‘Hey, Father, can we set up a meeting?’” Wallace said.

The call to priesthood is “life-changing,” Wallace noted, and confirmation from your community can be that final push.

“All of a sudden, their name gets submitted and they get a letter from [the] archbishop,” Wallace said. “They’re like, ‘Wow, somebody else actually saw in me what I had an inkling could actually be true.’”

Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila shared his gratitude and excitement for the potential future priests.

“Thanks to the dedicated witness of my brother priests and the prayerful support of our archdiocesan faithful, we received more than 900 names of young men who could make good, happy, and holy priests here in northern Colorado,” the archbishop said.

“I am grateful that our faithful recognized this pastoral potential in so many young men in our archdiocese,” he added.

The nationwide priest shortage affects dioceses everywhere. Seminarian enrollment in the United States has been on a decadeslong decline as fewer young men seek out the priesthood and the number of active priests in the U.S. continues to dwindle. In 2025, about 400 men were set to be ordained to the priesthood in the U.S.

The need is great in Denver, according to recent data shared by the archdiocese. 

“Our archdiocese needs more priests to shepherd, to father, our parish communities by offering the sacraments, especially the most holy Eucharist, and calling each of us to deeper conversion and encounter with Jesus Christ,” Aquila said.

The archdiocese, which serves about 600,000 Catholics, has only 148 archdiocesan priests in active ministry. More than a third of the archdiocese’s parishes are served by only one priest.

“This percentage would be much higher were it not for the generous priests from other parts of the country and world who make up for our shortfall of vocations,” read the data analysis by Denver Catholic, the archdiocesan news outlet.

Less than half of Denver’s priests were ordained for the archdiocese, and only 14% were born in Colorado.

But amid this, Denver has seen growth. Vocations are blooming in Denver this year in spite of the priest shortage. Dioceses around the U.S. tell a similar story — more seminarians are cropping up.

This year’s seminary class of 23 men was the largest in recent memory, according to Wallace — nearly doubling last year’s class size.

Wallace credits vocations as the fruit of faithfulness throughout the diocese — from the priests to the archbishop, from youth groups to Catholic schools, from parish ministry to Catholic families.  

“When you go to get a crop, you could say you have one person that sows the seed, another person who cultivates the seed, and then somebody who has to reap and gather,” he said.

When asked why this year made a record-breaking class, Wallace didn’t know whom to credit — except, maybe, the Lord.

“We live in the mystical body of the Church, and this year is a jubilee year,” he reflected. “And in jubilee years, traditionally, is it time for forgiving offenses and sharing your prosperity and blessing people with special graces.” 

“So perhaps Our Lord is blessing us in that regard with a lot of men for the seminary,” he continued.

The archbishop and Wallace have each sent a personal letter to the 900 men. The campaign isn’t over yet, and Wallace anticipates another 100 names. 

Aquila shared his enthusiasm for his own vocation to the priesthood and for the campaign.

“The priesthood is a beautiful vocation, a pure gift, and I am grateful to the Father for calling me to be his priest and his bishop,” he said.

“I pray that these 900 men — and many more — will draw near to Jesus Christ, the vine, and abide in relationship with him,” the archbishop continued. 

The men are invited to attend a “Come and See” at the seminary later this month, where the archbishop will give a talk and the men will have the opportunity to meet the rector of the seminary and spend time with the seminarians. Of the men the archdiocese reached out to, more than 70 signed up.

In a culture that tries to be “self-sufficient,” these young men are pursuing what God created them for, Wallace said.

“One thing that stands out to me is how open these young men are and how sincere they are about discovering what God created them for,” he said.

Aquila offered his prayers for the young men as they are discerning their vocations and asked the faithful to join in with him.

“As they come to know the Lord more personally, may he guide them to consider what is being asked of them,” Aquila said.

The Called By Name campaign will also continue in the form of discernment groups as well as other resources offered by the archdiocese.

“Please pray with me that they might respond faithfully, generously, and courageously — all so that, in Jesus Christ, all might be rescued and have abundant life, for the glory of the Father,” Aquila said.

Pope Leo XIV preaches at the historic Rotonda church in Albano, Aug. 17, 2025. / Credit: Vatican media screenshot

Rome Newsroom, Aug 17, 2025 / 07:16 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV celebrated Sunday Mass at the Shrine of Santa Maria della Rotonda together with the poor and Caritas workers, saying Christ’s “fire of love” is what can create peace in society.

During his Aug. 17 homily, the Holy Father said the Church of Jesus is a “Church of the poor,” whose faithful should not seek their own comfort and security at the expense of those most in need.

“The world accustoms us to exchange peace for comfort, goodness for tranquility,” he said. “Some will advise us not to take risks, to spare ourselves, because it is important to be at peace and others do not deserve to be loved.”

”Jesus, on the other hand, immersed himself courageously in our humanity,” he said. 

Expressing gratitude to Caritas staff and volunteers working in the Diocese of Albano, Leo encouraged them to imitate Jesus Christ in his boundless love for the poor.

“I encourage you not to distinguish between those who assist and those who are assisted, between those who seem to give and those who seem to receive, between those who appear poor and those who feel they have time, skills, and help to offer,” he said.

In order to live with a greater sense of unity and communion within the Church, the Holy Father also said genuine love “humbles itself” and lets go of prejudices that cause division and misunderstanding among people.

“The Mass nourishes this decision,” he said. “It is the decision to no longer live for ourselves, to bring fire into the world.”

“Only together, only by becoming one body in which even the most fragile participate with full dignity, are we the body of Christ, the Church of God,” he added.

According to Leo, the “poverty of Christ” enables Christians to reflect deeper on its value in their own lives and communities.

“Let us allow him to enter into the poor, and then we will also make peace with our own poverty, the poverty we fear and deny when we seek tranquility and security at all costs,” he said.

Pope’s Angelus message: ‘Acting in truth has its costs’ 

At noon, Pope Leo returned to his summer residence to pray the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in Piazza della Liberta.

Reiterating his Sunday message on self-giving love, the Holy Father encouraged his listeners to continue doing good though it may not always receive a “positive response” from others.   

“Acting in truth has its cost, because there are those in the world who choose lies, and the devil, who takes advantage of the situation, often seeks to block the actions of good people,” he said.

“Jesus, however, invites us with his help not to give in and conform ourselves to this mentality, but to continue to act for our good and the good of all, even those who make us suffer,” he said. 

Asking his listeners to remain faithful to the truth in love, Leo said Christians should not “respond to insolence with vengeance” but live the Gospel message and teachings on charity in spite of opposition.

“Brothers and sisters, let us together ask Mary, Queen of Martyrs, to help us be faithful and courageous witnesses of her Son in every circumstance, and to sustain our brothers and sisters who suffer for the faith today,” he prayed.

At the end of his Angelus address, Pope Leo asked people to pray for the people of Pakistan, India, and Nepal affected by severe flooding in parts of the Asian region. 

“I pray for the victims, for their families, and for all those who suffer because of this calamity,” he said. 

“Let us pray that efforts to bring wars to an end and to promote peace may bear fruit, and that in negotiations the common good of peoples may always be placed first,” he added.

Some members of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC) meet with the minister of state, secretary-general at the presidency. / Courtesy: President of the Republic of Cameroon

ACI Africa, Aug 17, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The minister of state, secretary-general at the presidency of Cameroon has commended the Catholic Church in the Central African nation for committing to peace-building as the country prepares for its presidential election in October.

A statement on Aug. 13 said Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh invited a delegation from the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC) to the Unity Palace — also called the Etoudi Palace, which serves as the official presidental residence and administrative headquarters — at the directive of President Paul Biya to consult with them on matters of peace ahead of the election.

The NECC secretary-general said in the statement that the minister, in his remarks to the bishops, recognizes “the Catholic Church’s contribution to peace-building” before discussing with them how to foster peace during the election period.

Father Paul Nyaga said that, considering the sensitive moment the country is going through, particularly with the approaching presidential election, the minister told the bishops that he invited them “to seek their contribution to ensure a climate of peace in the country before, during, and after the election.”

In addition, Cameroon’s minister of state is said to have emphasized the administration’s determination to commit to fair and transparent elections.

Responding to the minister’s remarks, Archbishop Andrew Fuanya Nkea of the Archdiocese of Bamenda clarified that the bishops “came as men of God, carrying the hopes and concerns of the people.”

According to the NECC Aug. 13 statement, Nkea, who serves as the NECC president, recalled the consistent positions of the Catholic bishops in the country, who he said have expressed their calls for peace messages and pastoral letters.

He highlighted the message on the socio-economic situation of Cameroon, dated Jan. 11, and the pastoral letter on the occasion of the presidential and regional elections March 28 and said the bishops expressed their position through the documents that were handed over to the minister.

Nkea reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s nonpartisan position when it comes to politics.

The archbishop said the Church is not taking sides but is “determined to continue its evangelization mission by promoting justice, reconciliation, and peace, serving all Cameroonians, sharing in their joys and hopes, as well as their sorrows and anxieties.”

“To this end, the Church encourages the multiplication of consultation platforms with public institutions to strengthen cooperation in the service of the common good,” he said during the Aug. 13 visit to the Unity Palace.

Individual Catholic bishops in Cameroon have also voiced their desire for peace in the country, decrying behaviors likely to jeopardize peace-building efforts.

In his pastoral letter shared with ACI Africa on Aug. 12, Archbishop Samuel Kleda of the Archdiocese of Douala denounced what he termed as “anti-Gospel acts,” including corruption and bad governance that he said are causing discontent among Cameroonians as they prepare for the October presidential election.

Kleda said the Central African nation is “shaken by multiple evils that afflict all social strata” and is in a great need for peace, justice, and reconciliation especially during this electioneering period.

“The malaise that is eating away at our country at the present time and which is causing widespread discontent in the hearts of citizens in this pre-electoral period has its roots in the anti-Gospel acts that are being instituted in the management of our country,” he said.

The Cameroon archbishop also highlighted the absence of democracy, widespread poverty, and unemployment, illegal immigration, a poor road network, and difficulty in accessing water and electricity as additional acts causing discontent among his compatriots. 

In his pastoral letter addressed to clergy, women and men religious, and the laity, Kleda also highlighted the “nebulous management of oil,” mining injustices, and security crisis in the country’s northern region as additional factors behind discontent. 

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

Mary Ann Wilson conducts a children’s choir during Mass at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Ann Arbor, Michigan. / Credit: Martin Barillas

Ann Arbor, Michigan, Aug 17, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The setting: a suburban Michigan parish.

The agenda: a crash course in Gregorian chant as well as posture, breathing, and other elements of sacred choral music.

The attendees: youth ages 8 to 18.

Canticle Chant Camp was held at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Ann Arbor, Michigan, from July 28 to Aug. 1 and was attended by more than 40 children and teens. The camp ended with a sung Mass.

The instructor was veteran choral director and educator Mary Ann Wilson. 

Wilson, who holds degrees in music, was trained in opera and Gregorian chant in Europe and has taught for nearly 30 years. She told CNA that she enjoys sharing “the glories of Gregorian chant, which uniquely fosters a sense of peace and joy that connects the whole person to God.” 

Referring to sacred music, she added: “It’s important to pass down this tradition. Beautiful sculpture, paintings, architecture, and stained-glass windows can last hundreds of years: All of them help us to pray. But music, once it is performed, is gone. It’s an offering to the Lord in real time. And if we don’t hand it down with every generation, we lose it.”

Wilson is president of the nonprofit apostolate Canticle.org, founded “to draw souls to Jesus Christ through the beauty of sacred music.” She has served as a parish music director and has led choirs singing Gregorian chant and renaissance polyphony. Since 2010, she has led the “Chant Camp” program at dozens of parishes and schools. She also trains teachers, choir directors, and cantors to lead camps themselves and foster sacred music.

In addition, Wilson is a consultant to the Benedict XVI Institute, which seeks to instill a sense of the sacred in the arts and worship throughout the country. She said she has received encouragement from Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco, a board member of the institute, in her quest to promote traditional liturgical music.

During the camp, Wilson did a deep dive into the prayers and structure of the sung Mass. Her directive: “Everybody can sing something, and nobody sings everything.”

Students learn the “Kyrie” and “Sanctus,” for example, while the more experienced get practice in more difficult chants. “What they learn is to sing together as their offering during the Mass.”

Practice in traditional hymns such as “All Glory, Laud, and Honor” and Gregorian chant adapted to English were also on the bill.

Wilson said she feels blessed to share her expertise with youth. 

She recalled that while studying musical performance and pedagogy at San Diego State University, she gained an appreciation for the beauty of the Church’s tradition of polyphonic singing. “I found myself singing polyphonic Masses at a secular university,” she observed, adding: “This music is for everybody.” 

Jeanne Marie Gerig, organist and music director at St. Thomas, told CNA that the canticle camp is just the beginning of an expanding parochial music program, especially for children. Gerig, a convert who was inspired to enter the Church because of its sacred music, said that while the parochial school has its own music program, home-schoolers and parents from other parishes are also seeking enrichment for their children.

“They will learn different settings of the Mass because every season should sound different. Easter should sound different, Christmas should sound different, and not just look different,” she said. “They will learn to read music, sing it, and sing in Mass.”

“Parents welcome the opportunity for kids to become more knowledgeable about singing music that is part of our heritage and used for liturgy,” Gerig said.

Gerig is an active member of the Catholic Music Association of America and continues to consult at parishes around the country, supported by offering online courses in Gregorian chant offered by the Catholic Institute of Sacred Music of California. She told CNA that she is especially pleased to offer such instruction to young people.

“By learning music, they can serve God and their community and contribute to the liturgy in a meaningful way, and help others to pray and worship,” she explained, adding that the goal is to offer the chant camp every summer. She hopes that the canticle camp will spark interest in the parish’s Laudate Youth Choir and the Pueri Cordis Jesu schola.

The parish’s choir directors also support these chant-based initiatives.

Hannah Bingham, a trained music educator and recent convert, told CNA that she will be directing three singing ensemble options for the Laudate Youth Choir, grouped according to age from 8 to adulthood.

“It’s open to any youth in the area who want to use their voice to glorify God,” she said, referring to nearby parishes where youth choirs haven’t been established. “We want to expose them to Masses at different parishes. We hope for a unifying and uplifting experience, not only spiritually but also building friendships and community.”

University of Michigan music major Lucia Skrobola will lead Puer Cordis Jesu, a schola choir for ages 8 to 18 focusing on Gregorian chant and Latin polyphonic hymns for the Mass in the extraordinary form at the parish. She said participants will sing at Mass monthly and at festivals.

“Gregorian chant is the prayer of the Mass. I’ve come to realize how beautiful it is and that it brings out the reverence of the liturgy in a way other music does not,” she said.

Pope Leo XIV blesses a baby during his Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Basilica on Aug. 13, 2025, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

CNA Staff, Aug 16, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV has officially reached the 100-day mark of his pontificate. Elected as the 267th pope on May 8, the Holy Father has already participated in several historic moments — including speaking to over a million young people at the Jubilee of Youth — and has had beautiful encounters with the faithful from all over the world.

Here are some of the best moments of Pope Leo meeting pilgrims, visitors, and dignataries during his first 100 days.

Pope Leo’s first general audience

In his first general audience as pope, the Holy Father appealed for an end to hostilities in Gaza and for the entrance of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

“I renew my heartfelt appeal to allow the entry of decent humanitarian aid and to end the hostilities whose heartbreaking price is paid by children, the elderly, and the sick,” he said.

One month to the day since Pope Francis’ April 21 death, Pope Leo also recalled with gratitude the “beloved Pope Francis, who just a month ago returned to the house of the Father.”

One pilgrim in attendance was husband and father Chuma Asuzu. He traveled from Canada with his family to attend the pope’s first general audience.

“He made the point to drive around a lot because it was his first audience, and he looked emotional at the beginning,” he said referring to the pope’s first popemobile ride.

Pope Leo welcomes notable figures to the Vatican

During his first 100 days, Pope Leo has welcomed several notable figures to the Vatican ranging from professional athletes to actors to politicians. Some of these individuals include U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Argentina President Javier Milei, professional tennis player Jannik Sinner, actor Jonathan Roumie, professional soccer team SSC Napoli, and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, among others.

In an interview with EWTN News Correspondent Colm Flynn, Roumie, known for his role portraying Jesus in the series “The Chosen,” called his meeting with the pope “fantastic.”

“He was so kind and so gracious and generous with his time,” he added.

“There was just a kindness on his face and just a charity about him that just moved me,” Roumie said.

Pope Leo gives heartfelt advice to newlyweds

In a heartfelt moment, Pope Leo offered marriage advice to a young American couple days after their wedding, sharing how he was blessed by the example of his own parents who prayed the rosary together every day.

Cole and Anna Stevens received Pope Leo’s personal blessing for their marriage during one of the pope’s first general audiences on June 11, just four days after their wedding at the Cathedral of St. Paul in Birmingham, Alabama.

“There was no rush in his voice. There was no looking around… He was solely focused on the question that Cole asked and then how could he answer it to the best of his abilities,” Anna Stevens said.

Pope Leo receives ‘Da Pope’ T-shirt from Chicago family

A Chicago family vacationing in Rome made headlines after a video of their encounter with Pope Leo XIV went viral.

Marcel and Ann Muñoz, along with their three children, met the pope after Mass on July 20 at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Pancras in Albano, a town about 16 miles south of Rome, and gifted him a T-shirt that reads “Da Pope” — a reference to “Da Bears,” which stems from the old “Superfans” sketches on “Saturday Night Live.”

“He turned left, and he just kind of beelined towards us, so whatever it is, it’s like everyone else is, you know, very nicely dressed for a summer Mass except us — so we did kind of stick out,” Marcel Muñoz said, according to CBS News. “But you know, it’s one of those things where it’s like: ‘Hey, you’re going to be here once. Hopefully, you can catch his attention.’”

“How many people get this opportunity to be in front of the pope, to have his attention, to hold his hand? I kissed his ring, and you know, it’s such — you feel blessed,” Ann Muñoz said.

The faithful welcome a pope back to Castel Gandolfo

After Pope Francis in 2013 broke with the papal practice of escaping the Roman heat in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo continued the tradition — spending two weeks in July in the papal summer residence.

The faithful in the small, Italian town welcomed him eagerly. During his time there, the pope visited St. Martha Home for the Elderly. After spending time praying in the chapel, the Holy Father personally greeted approximately 20 elderly people, all between the ages of 80 and 101.

He also greeted a young nurse and after prayer along with some songs, the pope addressed everyone, highlighting some themes from the songs and referring to that Sunday’s Gospel reading from Luke.

Augustinian sisters sing for Pope Leo

In a heartfelt moment, a group of Augustinian Sisters Servant of Jesus and Mary sang for the Holy Father during a meeting in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace. The pope, an Augustinian himself, was visibly moved by the encounter with the religious sisters.

Pope Leo celebrates Pentecost with the faithful

In one of his first major feast day celebrations as pope, the Holy Father addressed roughly 70,000 pilgrims for the solemnity of Pentecost in which he urged them to embrace the Holy Spirit as a source of freedom and grace and called on the faithful to adopt “the way of the Beatitudes” to spread the Gospel message.

“Let us invoke the Spirit of love and peace, that he may open borders, break down walls, dispel hatred, and help us to live as children of our one Father who is in heaven,” the pope said.

“Brothers and sisters, Pentecost renews the Church and the world!” he added. “May the strong wind of the Spirit come upon us and within us, open the borders of our hearts, grant us the grace of encounter with God, enlarge the horizons of our love, and sustain our efforts to build a world in which peace reigns.”

1 million young people join Pope Leo for the Jubilee of Youth

In what was his largest address of his pontificate thus far, Pope Leo told an estimated 1 million young adults to “study, work, and love according to the example of Jesus” and to pray: “Stay with us, Lord.”

The Jubilee of Youth took place in Rome from July 28 to Aug. 3. The pope took part in an evening prayer vigil and celebrated Mass with the young people at Tor Vergata — the same location where Pope John Paul II celebrated the jubilee in 2000.

One pilgrim who traveled from Omaha, Nebraska, to Rome for the jubilee was 29-year-old Clare Fletcher. She called the question-and-answers with Pope Leo during the Saturday prayer vigil “poignant and so relevant! Each spoke for us. Each spoke to our hearts.”

“This is a pope who knows the youth. His response was savvy, beautiful, and worth remembering, not to mention worth praying with for some time,” she said.