‘Casting out demons’ also means denouncing cruelty of dictatorships, exiled Nicaraguan bishop says
In a homily over the weekend, Auxiliary Bishop Silvio Báez of Managua, Nicaragua, compared “casting out demons” to denouncing the cruelty and irrationality of dictatorships that violate human dignity.
“Casting out demons means committing ourselves to processes of personal and social liberation, and helping those trapped by idols, fear, or hopelessness to regain their freedom,” the bishop noted during a Mass he celebrated at St. Agatha Parish in Miami on June 14.
“It also means denouncing the irrationality and cruelty of regimes that violate human dignity and multiply peopleʼs misery, often even invoking the name of God,” he emphasized.
Báez, who was forced to leave Nicaragua in 2019, now lives in exile and serves at the Miami parish where his compatriots gather. Like many others, Báez was a victim of persecution by the Nicaraguan dictatorship, which intensified its ruthless campaign against the Catholic Church in 2018, a campaign that continues to this day.
The Nicaraguan prelate reflected on a passage from the Gospel of Matthew, stating that Jesus saw the crowd and “had compassion for them, because they were weary and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.”
This image, he noted, “has lost none of its relevance. Today, too, there are many people living like sheep without a shepherd: individuals who are sad, lonely, disoriented, and disillusioned by deceptive idols; families torn apart by poverty, forced migration, or violence; entire peoples deprived of freedom and a future due to war or dominated by dictatorial regimes that impose themselves through fear and repression.”
In this situation, the bishop explained, “prayer is the first and most urgent response,” not because it “replaces action but because it is the root and foundation of action, making it fruitful and strong.”
Through prayer, one can be in tune with the Lord and move toward effective action, he noted. “From this compassion and this prayer came forth the choice of the Twelve [Apostles],” the prelate emphasized.
“The power Jesus grants is a power at the service of life and human dignity. It is exactly the opposite of the power that seduces the world — the power that crushes, controls, intimidates, and subjugates. This power, received to serve rather than to subjugate, did not end with the Twelve; it continues today through us,” he said.
In addition to casting out demons, he said every member of the Church is called to perform various actions, such as “healing the sick, raising the dead, and cleansing lepers.”
The bishop explained that resurrecting the dead “is restoring hope to those who no longer expect anything, helping them discover glimmers of Godʼs light in the middle of the nights of life. It’s announcing, without tiring, the God of life.”
“And it is also to oppose the oppressive powers that subjugate people, with the conviction that God accompanies and blesses the efforts made for the freedom and dignity of people,” he noted.
The Nicaraguan prelate also emphasized that “cleansing the lepers means striving to restore dignity to those marginalized by society or religion, through gestures of inclusion, solidarity, and respectful dialogue.”
He remarked that “the laborers remain few. The Lord continues to seek those today who are willing to extend his compassionate gaze into the world. May that gaze be ours.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
America at 250: U.S. bishop calls on Catholics to lead renewal
As the United States prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its founding, Bishop Mark Brennan is calling Catholics to reflect on the nation’s blessings and shortcomings while recommitting themselves to building a “culture of life” and a “civilization of love.”
In a pastoral letter released ahead of the nation’s semiquincentennial, Brennan, apostolic administrator of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, reflected on America’s history, praised the contributions of Catholics to the common good, and warned that the nation risks moral decline if it abandons God’s law.
The letter, which Brennan noted would likely be his final pastoral letter as bishop, comes 50 years after his priestly ordination during the country’s bicentennial celebrations in 1976. Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala is succeeding Brennan, and a Mass of installation will be celebrated on July 2 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Wheeling.
“Catholics of West Virginia, be truly Catholic and truly patriotic,” Brennan wrote. “Work for the genuine good of your country and trust that God will bless your efforts.”
Progress and persistent challenges
Brennan acknowledged significant advances in American society since the nation’s founding, including the abolition of slavery, the end of legal racial segregation, and expanded opportunities for women.
At the same time, he pointed to ongoing problems including racial disparities, domestic violence, human trafficking, abortion, and hostility toward immigrants.
The bishop highlighted the contributions immigrants have made throughout American history, noting that Catholicism itself grew from roughly 1% of the population in 1776 to about 20% today, largely because of immigration.
While praising the stability of the nation’s constitutional system, religious liberty protections, and tradition of public service, Brennan warned that Americans should not take God’s blessings for granted.
Quoting both Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, Brennan argued that nations will face divine judgment when they ignore moral truths and permit injustice.
Defense of human life
A central theme of the letter was the dignity of human life from conception to natural death.
Brennan condemned abortion, assisted suicide, and the death penalty while also calling for greater care for immigrants, the elderly, and the vulnerable.
“The God who gave us life does not want us to take it,” he wrote, referring to unborn children and the sick.
The bishop praised the work of the pro-life movement, highlighting the role Catholics have played in organizing marches, supporting pregnancy resource centers, and providing housing and assistance for mothers in need.
He specifically pointed to the legacy of Nellie Gray, the Catholic lawyer who founded the annual March for Life, and commended the efforts of countless Catholics who have worked to defend unborn children.
Catholic contributions to American society
Brennan also emphasized the Church’s historic contributions to social reform in the United States.
Among his examples was Cardinal James Gibbons, whose advocacy for workers influenced Pope Leo XIII’s landmark 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum and helped strengthen support for labor rights.
He also cited the efforts of Archbishop Patrick O’Boyle, who desegregated Catholic schools in Washington, D.C., in 1948, years before the Supreme Court’s ruling in Brown v. Board of Education.
According to Brennan, these examples demonstrate how Catholic teaching has advanced both human dignity and the common good.
‘Culture of life’ and ‘civilization of love’
The bishop devoted a substantial portion of the letter to outlining what he called a “culture of life,” rooted in respect for every human person.
Such a culture, he said, includes opposition to abortion, support for marriage and family life, care for the sick and elderly, and welcoming immigrants while respecting the dignity of every person.
Brennan also drew on the teachings of St. John Paul II, who promoted the concept of a “civilization of love.”
He pointed to hospice programs, soup kitchens, food pantries, charitable organizations, youth mentorship programs, and service groups such as the Knights of Columbus as examples of that vision in action.
Warning against secularism
Brennan warned that secularism, relativism, and excessive individualism pose significant challenges to American society.
Echoing concerns raised by Pope Benedict XVI, he argued that excluding religion from public life weakens the moral foundations necessary for self-government.
The bishop also criticized cultural trends that prioritize personal autonomy over the common good and cautioned against what he described as distractions that prevent Americans from addressing deeper social and moral concerns.
Looking ahead
As the nation approaches its 250th birthday, Brennan expressed hope that reform and renewal remain possible.
Drawing on biblical examples and the Church’s own history of reform, he urged Catholics to engage actively in public life while remaining faithful to Catholic teaching.
“The very soul of our country” is at stake, Brennan wrote, calling on Catholics to educate future generations, defend human dignity, and help shape a society grounded in faith, virtue, and concern for the common good.
“As we joyfully celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary of independence,” he concluded, “we are the Americans who must keep it [America].”
Colombia’s bishops call for national day of prayer ahead of elections
Colombia’s bishops have invited the faithful to pray for the country on June 19 ahead of the presidential runoff election on Sunday, June 21.
The bishops’ conference explained that the initiative includes a prayer vigil for Colombia in cathedrals, parishes, and other ecclesial communities as well as an invitation “for families to gather in their homes to light a candle or taper and offer a prayer for Colombia as an expression of trust in God and commitment to the nation’s future.”
To conduct the vigil, the bishops’ conference prepared a resource with opening remarks that emphasize that “Colombia is going through a decisive moment” and that, before exercising the right to vote that will determine the country’s future, “it is necessary to listen to the voice of God.”
“We are brought together by love for Colombia and the certainty that, without God, we will not be able to build the civilization of love we all long for, nor sustain our common home,” the bishops note.
However, they also recall that during the election campaign, “too many words have been heard that wound, divide, and point fingers.”
“Pope Leo XIV, during his recent visit to Spain, reminded us that the temptation to gain popularity by stoking the fires of polarization seems to be growing rather than diminishing,” they say. “He invited us to choose a different path: ‘It is not the culture of confrontation but that of encounter that creates stability and prosperity.’”
The June 21 presidential runoff election pits Abelardo de la Espriella, who is on the more conservative side of the political spectrum, against Iván Cepeda, a member of current president Gustavo Petro’s leftist party.
The ombudsman’s office noted that the final days of the campaign are characterized by “an electoral climate marked by high levels of confrontational rhetoric, stigmatization, the spread of false or misleading information, and challenges to democratic institutions.”
“In the current high-tension context — where there are signs that escalating verbal violence could lead to physical violence, the ombudsman’s office reiterates its call for candidates to focus their actions on protecting lives and de-escalating confrontation in public debate,” an ombudsman’s office document stated.
The ombudsman’s office also called on both candidates to act with the moral rectitude proper to those aspiring to become the head of state and with the strengthened responsibility that such an aspiration entails toward society and democratic coexistence.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Pope warns SSPX bishop ordinations risk deepening schism
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy — Pope Leo XIV cautioned that the planned ordination of Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) bishops could push the group toward schism, urging them again to stop and remain in communion with the Church.
“We have invited them, and I am still considering making another appeal, to say: ‘Do not do this. Let us try to live communion in the Church.’ But it is their choice. They must understand what it means for them and for the Church,” the pope said, responding to journalists’ questions outside Villa Barberini in Castel Gandolfo on June 16.
The Society of St. Pius X said it plans to consecrate four priests as bishops on July 1 without the permission of Pope Leo XIV. The Vatican warned on May 13 that doing so without a papal mandate would constitute “a schismatic act” and carry the penalty of excommunication. The consecrations are set to take place at its seminary in Écône, Switzerland.
“Certainly, division among Christians is always a painful matter,” the pope said. “But they refuse to accept certain fundamental elements of the Church, beginning with various points of the Second Vatican Council. And if they make those choices, I am sorry. But we must move forward.”
The SSPX exclusively celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass and has rejected certain teachings and reforms of the Second Vatican Council, particularly regarding religious freedom and the Church’s approach to other faiths.
The pope also answered questions about G7 diplomacy, his future travel to France and Peru, and about the Christian response to migration that calls for recognizing reasons why people have to leave their countries such as violence and war.
Appeals court rules Seton Hall University does not have to disclose entirety of sex abuse report
Seton Hall University will not have to fully disclose a report detailing its handling of sex abuse allegations connected to disgraced and deceased former cardinal Theodore McCarrick, a New Jersey appeals court ruled this week.
The school has been battling efforts to force disclosure of the so-called “Latham report,” an investigation commissioned by Seton Hall itself amid fallout surrounding the McCarrick scandal.
New Jersey Judge Avion Benjamin had ordered the school in November 2025 to turn over the Latham report to lawyers representing victims of clergy abuse. The school had previously argued that the report was protected by attorney-client privilege.
In a June 15 ruling, the Superior Court of New Jersey’s appellate division ruled mostly in favor of the school, holding that the relationship between the school and the law firm Latham & Watkins LLP enjoyed a measure of attorney-client protection.
Attorney Gabriel Magee, who represents multiple Church abuse victims as part of consolidated litigation that included suits against Seton Hall, told EWTN News in May that the Latham report was “created for self-critical analysis by Seton Hall” and thus fell outside of the protection of attorney-client privilege or “work-product privilege.”
Yet the appeals court on June 15 held that work-privilege considerations have to be adjudicated on a “case-by-case, fact-specific analysis.” Attorney-client protections, meanwhile, apply to “notes, communications, and other documents” prepared “at the behest of and for” legal counsel.
The school did not respond to a request for comment on June 16 regarding the decision.
The appellate court said one section of the report regarding the university’s sexual harassment policies is “clearly a self-critical analysis” that was “not prepared in anticipation of litigation” and thus could be disclosed as part of legal proceedings.
The judges said that “some materials” in that section could be subject to redactions depending on the subject material.
Magee told EWTN News on June 16 that while plaintiff attorneys “appreciate the appellate division’s ruling that some portions of the Latham report must be produced, we are still digesting the opinion and considering our appeal options with respect to the rest of the decision.”
The Latham report, which has never been made public, is expected to examine whether Monsignor Joseph Reilly, then-rector of Seton Hall’s Immaculate Conception Seminary (and now university president), knew about abuse claims and failed to report them. Reilly was appointed president in 2024.
Meanwhile, Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, in February 2025 ordered an independent review into the controversy.
The prelate said at the time that the review would examine “how the findings of [the earlier reports] relate to Monsignor Joseph Reilly, including whether they were communicated to any and all appropriate personnel at the archdiocese and Seton Hall University and Monsignor Reilly, and if so, by what means and by whom.”
The review is still ongoing, the archdiocese said in May.
Ohio Gov. DeWine urges state to abolish death penalty, says there is no ‘moral justification’ for it
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said this week that the state should end the death penalty, with the governor arguing that he no longer believes it is a “deterrent” to murder.
“I believe Ohio should abolish the death penalty,” the Catholic Republican governor said at a June 16 press conference. “The Legislature can take this action, and I believe they should take this action.”
“But if the Legislature does not want to make that decision, they can leave it up to a vote of the people of the state of Ohio,” he said.
After DeWine was elected to the state Senate in 1980, he co-sponsored a bill that sought to reinstate the death penalty in Ohio.
DeWine supported the policy at the time believing it would lessen violent crime, he said at the press conference, but, he argued, “the moral justification I had for voting for the death penalty simply no longer exists.”
Each decade that the death penalty has been in effect, “the chances of a murderer getting executed get more and more remote,” DeWine said. Therefore, “it is today impossible to make the case that the death penalty is a deterrent.”
“For the state to take a human life, there … must be evidence that in doing so, it will help protect the public [and] that the threat of that action will deter someone from committing murder,” he said.
“I do not believe that argument today can be successfully made, nor do I believe that thereʼs any chance [of successfully making it] in the future,” he said.
The term-limited governor, whose second term will end in 2027, has repeatedly postponed scheduled executions in the state since taking office in early 2019.
He has cited issues involving “the willingness of pharmaceutical suppliers to provide drugs to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, pursuant to DRC protocol, without endangering other Ohioans.”
“We also cannot talk about capital punishment without talking about those we task with carrying it out,” DeWine said.
“While it is true they are ‘volunteers,’ we still must be mindful of the impact preparations for and the carrying out of executions have on them. They are the forgotten people — but they are real people. They are our fellow Ohioans.”
DeWine used the example of Gary Mohr, who served as the director of the state Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections from 2011 until 2018.
“During that time, he supervised 15 executions,” DeWine said, and he “summarize[d] the toll on the staff in this one sentence: ‘The heaviness felt by the execution team and by the support staff is indescribable.’”
“Our money and our energies are much better spent focusing on keeping these repeat violent offenders out of society than focusing on the death penalty,” DeWine said.
“Throughout my career, Iʼve always stated that the most important way to protect the public is to lock up violent criminals and to keep them out of society. Keep them locked up. That is a proven way of saving lives and protecting our citizens.”
DeWine said that any “decision to officially end the death penalty in Ohio could not change the horror and the anger that we all feel in regard to these murderers, nor the deep sorrow we feel for the victims and for their families.”
“These murderers ended the life of a precious human being. These murderers have changed the lives of the surviving family members forever. Their lives will never be the same.”
During a question-and-answer session at the press conference, DeWine declined to comment when asked if he would begin commuting death sentences in the state.
Praise from Catholic anti-death penalty group
DeWine’s “call for the abolishment of capital punishment in Ohio is an encouraging sign and reflects growing recognition that the state can move toward a more just and life-affirming approach,” Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, the executive director of the anti-death penalty Catholic Mobilizing Network, told EWTN News.
“Gov. DeWine is a Catholic whose faith has always inspired his public service,” Vaillancourt said.
“As fellow Catholics who advocate for the dignity of every human life, we urge him to go further and grant clemency to those on Ohio’s death row. The time to act is now,” she said.
Speaking truth to power: When the pope addresses governments
During his apostolic journey to Spain from June 6–12, Pope Leo XIV became the first pontiff in history to address the Spanish Parliament, using the occasion to urge the country’s political class to defend human dignity and protect life “from conception to its natural end.”
The pontiff also joined the list of other pontiffs since St. Paul VI who have been invited to speak to government assemblies during their journeys.
While it is expected that the pope will address civil leaders during an apostolic journey, invitations to address a country’s legislature or national assembly are rare and considered a high honor, even for a pope. These addresses have often been opportunities for the pope to challenge civil leaders on critical issues, including human rights, war, and the treatment of migrants.
But what do these speeches reveal about the pope’s priorities regarding global issues?
St. Paul VI: A call for an end to war
As the first pope in centuries to undertake extensive international travel, Paul VI was known for his forceful calls to denounce war and promote peace.
He became the first pontiff to address the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly during his historic one-day visit to the United States on Oct. 4, 1965. He addressed the assembly in the wake of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, and the Indo-Pakistani War, which had occurred mere weeks before his visit.
Amid these and other conflicts, Paul VI made a passionate appeal for peace, famously declaring: “Never again war, never again war! It is peace, peace, that has to guide the destiny of the nations of all mankind!”
With this speech and similar ones, including a little-known one delivered to the Ugandan Parliament in 1969, the pope would forever alter the Holy See’s role in international affairs, establishing it as an important actor in international diplomacy. He also helped establish the Church’s anti-war stance early in the modern period, a stance adopted by every pope since.
St. John Paul II: Papal presence in the public sphere
Whereas Paul VI would pioneer the pope’s presence in the public sphere, St. John Paul II would make it the norm.
The Polish pontiff delivered at least five addresses to secular parliaments, including those of the European Union, Poland, and Italy.
He also addressed the U.N. General Assembly twice during his papacy. The first, in 1979, challenged the U.N. to denounce the arms trade, ensure religious freedom, and protect religious minorities in the Middle East.
Though noted for his stance on life issues, including opposition to abortion, he did not address abortion in any of his addresses to parliaments, instead focusing more broadly on human rights.
Benedict XVI: Religion cannot be set aside in the West
Pope Benedict XVI became the first pontiff to address both houses of the British Parliament during his visit to the United Kingdom in September 2010.
Referring to St. Thomas More and the country’s Christian heritage, Benedict denounced the tendency toward the marginalization of religion in the West, particularly Catholicism.
“I cannot but voice my concern at the increasing marginalization of religion, particularly of Christianity, that is taking place in some quarters, even in nations which place a great emphasis on tolerance,” Benedict said. “These are worrying signs of a failure to appreciate not only the rights of believers to freedom of conscience and freedom of religion, but also the legitimate role of religion in the public square.”
Such sentiments would be reflected in his address to the Federal Parliament of Germany during his 2011 visit. Already famous for his advocacy of the relationship between faith and reason, Benedict gave a speech highlighting the role of natural law and the limits of democracy.
“For most of the matters that need to be regulated by law, the support of the majority can serve as a sufficient criterion. Yet it is evident that for the fundamental issues of law, in which the dignity of man and of humanity is at stake, the majority principle is not enough.”
Francis: Environmental justice, migrant care, and the abolition of the death penalty
When Pope Francis became the first pope to address a joint session of the United States Congress in 2015 during his visit to the country, he offered a candid assessment of issues in the national debate, especially immigration.
Referring to the 2015 refugee crisis, in which Syrians fled the civil war in Syria for the U.S., Francis advocated greater care for those coming to the U.S. to find a better life.
“Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Second World War. This presents us with great challenges and many hard decisions,” Francis said. “We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation.”
He would also, like several of his predecessors, oppose the death penalty. Unlike them, however, he would call for its abolition, support the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ initiative for abolition that year, and criticize the resumption of executions by lethal injection.
“This conviction has led me, from the beginning of my ministry, to advocate at different levels for the global abolition of the death penalty. I am convinced that this way is the best, since every life is sacred, every human person is endowed with an inalienable dignity, and society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes.”
He would use these ideas presented to Congress to finally amend the Catechism of the Catholic Church in 2018, declaring that the death penalty is “inadmissible.”
Pope Leo XIV says care for creation is a requirement of faith
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV said those who believe God created the world are called to take on a greater responsibility for caring for creation, describing it as a requirement of faith.
In a video message to participants in the 10th Austrian World Summit — an annual international event on climate, sustainability, and the environment taking place Tuesday at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna — the Holy Father recalled that “the Church has always been aware that the ecological question has a moral dimension.”
Reflecting on climate change and environmental protection in light of the theological virtues, the pope said the religious dimension “is in fact essential to address these issues adequately.”
“Those who believe that our world was created by God and is inherently good are compelled to assume an even greater responsibility to care for creation, since this is the requirement of their faith,” Pope Leo XIV said.
He also quoted Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’, saying: “Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience.”
The pope stressed that “religious faith reinforces the overall desire to protect life and care for nature.” He said the climate crisis is “one manifestation — and a critical one — of the wider socioeconomic crisis,” adding that special attention must be given to “the poorest and those most vulnerable to environmental degradation.”
Pope Leo XIV acknowledged widespread concern over the challenges caused by “a lack of respect for creation, the plundering of natural resources, and a progressive decline in the quality of life due to climate change.”
“These challenges require international cooperation, together with cohesive and forward-looking multilateralism in order to find effective solutions,” he said.
At the same time, the pope sought to offer a message of hope, urging participants to overcome fear and work together toward appropriate solutions.
“Despite the naysayers or cynics, hope can be a powerful driving force,” he said.
The Holy Father also emphasized the contribution religious leaders and communities can make to ambitious social and environmental efforts, noting that the Bible offers many examples of how fear can be overcome by hope, “which ultimately is a gift from God himself.”
Pope Leo XIV called on wealthier countries to “meet their obligations to support poorer countries financially.” He also said the world needs “the development of a new person-centered international financial framework” so that all countries, “especially the poorest and those most vulnerable to climate disasters, can reach their full potential, with the dignity of their citizens respected.”
Turning to the virtue of love, the pope invited participants to cultivate “a genuine culture of care for our environment,” including what Pope Francis described as “civic and political love.”
“Such love is the key to authentic development,” Pope Leo XIV said, adding that “social love moves us to devise larger strategies to halt environmental degradation and to encourage a ‘culture of care’ which permeates all of society.”
The pope concluded by expressing his hope that the summit’s deliberations would promote this culture of care and “thus contribute to the civilization of love.”
He also prayed that the summit would help promote “the much-needed dialogue for seeking effective solutions to protect the wonderful gift of creation.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Pope Leo XIV defends journalism against the drug of ‘fake news’
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV defended the importance of rigorous journalism against “the drug of fake news” and “artificial polarizations” in a message to the Italian newspaper L’Adige on the occasion of its 80th anniversary, celebrated Tuesday.
In his message to the newspaper, the pope urged journalists to “safeguard voices and faces, cultivate seriousness in every report and every analysis, preserve the beauty of cultures and territories.”
He also called on them to “strengthen communities in the truth that unites us all, govern technology without surrendering to the rhetoric of uniform thought, respect differing opinions, never yield to the temptation to make greater profits by resorting to the drug of fake news and artificial polarizations.”
“In the time of great changes that we are experiencing, I wish your newspaper always to be an instrument of truth, a guardian of history and memory, a source of knowledge and a leaven of humanity,” the pope wrote, calling on the newspaper to meet the challenge of information with “quality.”
In his letter, Leo also recalled the origins of the newspaper and the figure of its founder, Flaminio Piccoli, who chose for the publication the name of a river, the Adige, which runs through Trento, the city where the newspaper is published.
“Flowing water,” the pope said, “is indeed a symbol of continuous regeneration, possible only if one drinks from a pure spring. What more beautiful metaphor for good journalism? To be water that deeply satisfies the thirst for knowledge of people of different generations; to nourish consciences with news and not gossip; to offer a correct and transparent interpretation of reality; to unite, in good fortune and bad, the community in which one is rooted, protecting its history and memory.”
The pope also highlighted the contribution of Christian thought to the development of journalism and the defense of freedom of expression.
“Its roots testify to the richness of Christian thought as a leaven of journalism, not only Catholic journalism, a bulwark of the freedom to express one’s thoughts,” he wrote.
Leo also recalled Alcide De Gasperi, who, he said, before becoming a leading political figure in Italy’s democratic reconstruction after fascism, “was an editor and then director of La Voce Cattolica of Trento, and later founder of the daily Il Trentino.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Church leaders welcome first Catholic Indigenous woman in Bangladesh’s Parliament
Church leaders in Bangladesh have welcomed Anna Minj, the countryʼs first Catholic Indigenous woman lawmaker, for using her first budget-session speech to press for the development of long-neglected Indigenous communities.
On June 14, given the floor in the National Parliament during the budget session, Minj first thanked Almighty God. “Today I am representing the ethnic minority groups of the plain land of Bangladesh in this Parliament,” she said.
Welcoming the proposed budget, she said: “This budget is a people-oriented and inclusive budget.”
“I would like to specifically mention that the budget has increased the special allocation for ethnic minority groups in the prime ministerʼs office,” Minj said. “Similarly, the allocation for ethnic minority groups in the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has been increased in this budget. In the National Parliament I highly appreciate and I firmly believe that these two projects will play a special role in the development of the ethnic groups of the plain land.”
At the same time, she drew attention to several concerns, noting that development allocations had been increased across various ministries. Those allocations, she said, should reach the marginalized and those who are truly in need among ethnic minority groups so they can genuinely develop.
“We all know that the socioeconomic condition of the people of the ethnic groups of the plain land is very fragile. Ninety percent of them are daily wage laborers; many times they sell their agricultural labor in advance. In that case, we ask everyone to involve them in various developmental activities such as education, technical education, and provide them with work opportunities,” Minj told Parliament.
Praise from deputy speaker
After her speech, Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal thanked Minj and acknowledged that the countryʼs Indigenous people have remained disadvantaged.
“When martyred President Ziaur Rahman formed the BDR [Bangladesh Rifles], many Indigenous people were involved, many were involved in primary education, but their participation has decreased with the passage of time,” he said. “Thank you very much for addressing this issue.”
Mixed reaction in the Church
Holy Cross Father Liton Hubert Gomes, secretary of the Integral Human Development Commission of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh, welcomed Minjʼs speech. He told EWTN News that her statement on Indigenous rights was sound and that the increased government allocation was a positive step, but he said other problems still needed to be addressed.
“She has created a mixed reaction among the Indigenous people because she didnʼt address them as Indigenous but as a small ethnic group. Again, she is not only an MP [member of Parliament] for the Indigenous people, she is also an MP for the Christian community,” Gomes said.
The voices of both Indigenous people and Christians should be heard in Parliament, the priest said, because Catholics and other Christians contribute heavily to the country, especially in education, health, and social development, yet that contribution is not recognized by the state.
Gomes said he was hopeful, adding: “Anna Minj will work for our society and work to achieve the rights of Indigenous people and will highlight the contribution of Christians to the nation so that others can use our good teachings for the development of the nation.”
A historic first
Minj is a leader from the Oraon Indigenous community and has served for over three decades in leadership roles at BRAC International, an entrepreneurial and solutions-focused nonprofit development organization.
Of the 350 seats in Bangladeshʼs National Parliament, 300 are filled by direct election, which was held on Feb. 12, and 50 are reserved for women. Minj was elected to one of those reserved womenʼs seats as a nominee of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which formed the government.
In Muslim-majority Bangladesh, only 1% of the 180 million people belong to various ethnic minorities, while 99% are ethnic Bengalis.