Vatican official in Russia: War in Ukraine must end, but not through military means
During his visit to Russia, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican secretary for relations with states and international organizations, reaffirmed the Holy Seeʼs position that the conflict with Ukraine “cannot be resolved by military means.”
The archbishop made the remarks during a press conference following his Aug. 25 meeting in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
As the Vatican Secretariat of State reported Tuesday on X, the men discussed “topics of mutual interest and current international issues, with particular attention to the war in Ukraine and prospects for peace.”
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During the event, Gallagher stated that “the Holy Seeʼs position is clear: The conflict cannot be resolved by military means,” adding that “it is essential to create the conditions for a political and diplomatic process.”
“To be clear: This war must end,” he said, noting that “it is urgent and necessary to end the hostilities and plan future relations so as not to remain prisoners of the wrongs of the past.”
He stated that “any concrete result in the humanitarian sphere will contribute to alleviating suffering and help restore a minimum level of trust between the parties to the conflict.”
Lavrov expressed appreciation for the Holy Seeʼs openness to dialogue with Russia and its commitment to peace, Vatican media reported. He also agreed with his Vatican counterpart on the need to step up cooperation on humanitarian issues.
On Aug. 26, Gallagher was scheduled to meet with Yuri Ushakov, foreign policy adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Vatican representative will return to the Vatican on Aug. 28.
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.
Taybeh Christians seek action after Israeli envoy downplays severity of attacks
Comments by Israel’s ambassador to the Holy See, Yaron Sideman, about the West Bank town of Taybeh have drawn attention among local Church leaders after he condemned the violence there but disputed accounts of its seriousness.
Speaking at the Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples in Rimini, Italy, Sideman said that “any act of violence against anyone is unacceptable” and that those responsible should be dealt with according to the law. However, he added that the situation in Taybeh had been “described in far more serious terms than it actually is.”
Sideman maintained that Israel is governed by the rule of law and guarantees religious freedom. He also assured pilgrims that visiting the holy sites is safe and encouraged them to return to the Holy Land.
The Observatory for the Christian Presence in the Holy Land said the ambassador’s characterization was inconsistent with the documented pattern of attacks and incursions affecting Taybeh — the last town in the West Bank with an entirely Christian population.
The incidents have been documented by the local Church and town institutions and followed by diplomatic missions, international media, and human rights organizations.
In July 2025, patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem visited Taybeh alongside diplomats and representatives from more than 20 countries following an escalation of attacks against the town and its religious sites.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, warned at the time that the violence was leading some Christians to consider leaving the West Bank.
The World Council of Churches reported in August 2026 that Taybeh had received more than 50 diplomatic visits over the previous year, in addition to continued media attention. The organization highlighted residents’ concerns about attacks, incursions, and the effects of the violence on their daily lives.
Father Bashar Fawadleh, the Latin Patriarchate’s parish priest in Taybeh and head of the Observatory for the Christian Presence in the Holy Land, said the issue was not a series of isolated incidents but an accumulating reality affecting residents’ security, access to their land and livelihoods, and ability to remain in the town. He stressed that condemnations of the attacks must be followed by protection, accountability, and concrete measures to prevent their recurrence.
On Aug. 9, Israeli military authorities declared Taybeh closed to Israeli nonresidents. The military said the measure followed what it described as “violent attacks by Israelis” in the area and was intended to protect residents and maintain public order.
For local Christians, the official measure underscored the gap between the level of danger recognized by authorities on the ground and the ambassador’s assessment of the situation.
Christians in Taybeh are therefore repeating their invitation: “Come and see.” They are calling on visitors to meet the town’s families, farmers, and young people, listen to their testimonies, and witness firsthand the conditions affecting the Christian community, its land, and its property.
Bishops warn inflexible vetting rules could bar eligible family members from taking in migrant kids
The U.S. bishops raised concerns about proposed federal sponsor-vetting rules, warning that they could further delay the release of unaccompanied migrant children and deepen the harms of prolonged custody.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) refugee office proposed a rule on June 26 to update how it runs the program for unaccompanied children, including adding tougher background checks for adults who want to take in those children.
In a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., William Quinn, general counsel for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), warned that the proposed rule could negatively affect unaccompanied children and their families.
The rule would add more requirements for evaluating sponsors before releasing unaccompanied migrant children from federal custody to them, including proof of identity and income, and background checks for sponsors and adult household members.
The bishops said they’re “grateful” for efforts to ensure “children are placed in safe and stable environments upon their release from government custody” but warned proposed sponsor‑vetting rules exclude otherwise eligible parents and relatives from sponsoring children, the letter said.
The bishops said they fear the proposed rule could keep children separated from their families longer because some parents or relatives “without lawful immigration status” may not have the documents the government would require including proof of identity and income. Under federal law, prospective sponsors may be noncitizens, including those without lawful immigration status.
The bishops warned that without enough flexibility, the rules could block eligible parents and relatives from taking in children, making reunification harder and keeping kids in government custody longer.
Longer custody stays for migrant children
The bishops said they are concerned about a “striking increase in the average length of time children are already spending” in the government’s care, the letter said.
The letter detailed federal data that found an increase in the average length of care over the past 10 fiscal years. Average monthly time in government care has surged in fiscal 2026 even as far fewer children entered the system, according to HHS data.
The average length of care in fiscal 2026 so far is nearly 190 days, according to federal data. The number is up from 2025, when the average stay was 117 days.
Previously, the highest monthly average length of care was 69 days in fiscal 2020. The average decreased during the Biden administration with an average number of 33 days in government care in 2021 and 29 days in 2022.
The bishops’ letter also points to government research indicating that children who remain in custody for prolonged periods of time can experience more stress, anxiety, and behavioral issues. These affects could lead to higher levels of defiance, hopelessness, and frustration, as well as more instances of self-harm and suicidal ideation, the letter said.
Proposed recommendations
“Pope Leo XIV has referred to children as ‘the most vulnerable group within the global movements of migration,’” the letter said.
“Unaccompanied children are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking, domestic servitude, and other exploitative situations. The Church considers it a moral obligation on the part of society as a whole to ensure that all children are protected from such harms, consistent with their God-given dignity,” the letter said.
To carry out this obligation, the bishops said they urge the government “to maintain and ensure reasonable flexibility regarding sponsor suitability requirements proposed.”
They asked that the government allow “deviation from the enumerated list of documents on a case-by-case basis” and allow “waivers for the requirement to collect Social Security or taxpayer identification numbers.”
They added that an “inability to show formal proof of income should not automatically disqualify a prospective sponsor.”
The bishops said while the changes aim to fix problems in how sponsors are vetted, the government’s own poor recordkeeping is one reason those problems exist. A 2024 HHS inspector general report found serious failures in how the agency documented the vetting.
The letter highlighted the need for “post-release services,” including access to legal counsel, enforcement of federal anti-trafficking and child labor laws, and general protection of children after reunification with a safe sponsor.
Muslim Senate candidate faces backlash for comparing sharia law to canon law
Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is facing backlash after comments he made during a television interview comparing Muslim sharia law to Catholic canon law.
In a heated exchange that aired on the evening of Aug. 24 on Fox News’ “Jesse Watters Primetime,” Watters asked El-Sayed if he thinks opposing sharia — the religious law of the Islamic faith — is akin to “white supremacy.”
Watters pointed to a 2022 speech El-Sayed made for the Oklahoma branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations where he likened the 2010 passage of a law preemptively banning sharia in Oklahoma to white supremacist “forces” in the state who “destroyed Black Wall Street” and “drove native peoples from their lands.” That law passed with over 70% of the vote but was struck down by a federal judge.
Responding to Watters, El-Sayed said: “I don’t begrudge you your right to practice your faith as you choose. I don’t know why the idea that I could practice my faith as I choose is a problem.”
“Nobody is trying to push sharia law on anyone else,” he continued. “Just like I hope nobody is trying to push canon law on anybody else, because we live in America, where you should have the freedom of your religion.”
He said that with Muslims comprising around 1% of the U.S. population, preemptively trying to ban sharia law “seems to me to be deliberately targeting the Muslim community because theyʼre different.”
Watters and El-Sayed also sparred during the interview on topics including immigration enforcement, environmental issues, transgender medical procedures, taxes, Iran, and the economy.
Difference between canon law and sharia law
Sharia law, which governs Islamic religious practice along with family matters and financial transactions, also deals with aspects of political governance and public law, forming part or all of the political and legal systems in several Muslim-majority countries.
Canon law, on the other hand, regulates only the Catholic Church’s internal structure and functions, including rules about clergy, sacraments, and other ecclesiastical and administrative norms. It does not function as a civil or political legal code for the state or for non-Catholics, as sharia can for Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
Catholics are generally expected to obey the just civil laws of their countries, and canon law does not affect those laws.
Catholic media personality Michael Knowles mocked El-Sayed’s position on X, writing: “[T]he Catholic Church requires ministers to use plant oils in sacraments with the blessings of a bishop, so why shouldnʼt courts allow Muslim men to have four wives?"
Kyle Shideler, the director and senior analyst for homeland security and counterterrorism at the Center for Security Policy, wrote on X that El-Sayed’s comparison between canon and sharia law is “deliberately misleading.”
He noted that sharia law contains elements that conflict with U.S. laws, including “Islamic marriage contracts which conflict with policies on child welfare,” among others.
The Democrat is set to face Republican nominee Mike Rogers in the general election in Michigan this fall.
El-Sayed was born in Michigan to Egyptian parents. An epidemiologist, if elected he would be the first Muslim and the first Egyptian-American elected to serve in the U.S. Senate.
Los Angeles merchants seek to save 10-foot cross, Nativity scene in city’s historic center
A group of merchants in Los Angeles is seeking to join a federal lawsuit in defense of a historic cross and Nativity display in the city’s nearly-300-year-old center.
The disputed public displays are located within sight of each other at El Pueblo de Los Angeles, which has long been marked as a historical monument commemorating the founding of the city in 1781. The site was first established by settlers from Spain known as “los pobladores.”
The cross is displayed year-round at the head of Olvera Street, while the Nativity is displayed about 150 feet away in a gazebo in the site’s plaza every Christmas season.
Los Angeles resident Jack Gerritsen sued the city government alleging that the displays violate the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution, which forbids federal and state government entities from favoring specific religions.
Gerritsen alleged that the displays make him “feel excluded as a nonbeliever.” A U.S. district court initially ruled against him, leading him to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.
In an Aug. 24 filing, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty asked the appeals court to allow a group of merchants on Olvera Street to intervene in the case as defendants alongside the city. The merchants have “a significant and legally protected interest in preserving the historic and cultural heritage of El Pueblo,” the filing said.
The business owners, the filing said, have “concrete economic interests in preserving the cross and nativity as important attractions that draw visitors to the area.”
The merchants help bring a “growing volume of visitors” to the area who travel there to witness the site’s “authentic and uninterrupted links to its historic past.”
The court filing notes that the area immediately surrounding the disputed monuments has considerable historic resources, including La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles, a Catholic parish the roots of which date to 1784, shortly after the city’s founding.
The plaza also hosts an annual “Blessing of the Animals” during the season of Lent at which a cardinal or bishop provides benedictions to local pets.
One of the business owners who operates a cafe on Olvera Street, Edward Flores, said in the filing that his own heritage includes a Mexican Catholic background, but he said “Chinese and Italian heritage groups” are also present in the neighborhood.
“Preserving our distinct cultures and educating others about our roles in the founding and growth of Los Angeles ennobles Americans across all ethnicities, faiths, cultures, and generations to take pride in their own contributions and to see more clearly their future potential,” Flores wrote.
The filing suggested that, under existing court precedent, both the cross and the Nativity may not be sufficiently “established” to violate the establishment clause at issue in the suit.
The “longstanding and historic nature of the cross and nativity,” meanwhile, “reflect the precise nature of the Merchants’ interests they seek to protect.”
Pope Leo XIV’s summer catechesis: Understanding the sacred liturgy
With his Wednesday general audience at the Vatican on Aug. 26, Pope Leo XIV concluded his catechesis on the Church’s liturgy, focusing on the Second Vatican Council’s constitution on the liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium.
From warning against virtual participation in Sunday Mass to calling for a rediscovery of the symbols of the liturgy, here’s an overview of what the pope taught about the liturgy in this series:
Vatican II’s reform did not change only ‘the rites’ of the liturgy
Leo began his catechesis on the liturgy during his general audience at the Vatican on May 20. He explained that the liturgical reforms were not the only changes in the Church that came from the Second Vatican Council.
“In drafting this constitution, the council fathers sought not only to undertake a reform of the rites but to lead the Church to contemplate and deepen that living bond which constitutes and unites her: the mystery of Christ,” Leo said in his remarks.
Leo also highlighted the missionary and universal dimensions of the liturgy, and, quoting Pope Francis, recalled that “the world still does not know it, but everyone is invited to the supper of the wedding of the Lamb.”
Priests must respect ‘norms of the liturgy’ to avoid confusion at Mass
During his general audience on May 27, Leo urged priests not to alter the celebration of Mass on their own, to avoid confusing the faithful.
“I encourage all priests to respect the texts and norms of the liturgy with openness, humility, trust in God’s greatness, and with sincere fidelity to ecclesial communion.”
Leo also explained that liturgical reforms following the Second Vatican Council are not a departure from tradition but a development. To emphasize this, he quoted Pope Benedict XVI, who said that the council fathers’ “reform program” sought “a balance between the great liturgical tradition of the past and that of the future.”
We must rediscover signs and symbols of the sacred liturgy
In his audience on June 3, Leo called on Catholics to rediscover the meaning of the various gestures associated with the liturgy, such as the sign of peace and kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament. He explained that these symbols and signs are not arbitrary gestures but help Catholics experience “the presence of God through Jesus Christ.”
“The rites of the Christian liturgy are not an outward covering of the sacramental mystery or a set of arbitrary ceremonies,” Leo said. “Rather, they are the ecclesial mediation through which the divine gift reaches us.”
The Eucharist is a powerful antidote to division
Pope Leo dedicated his June 24 general audience to the mystery of the Eucharist, calling on Catholics to “draw with faith from this source of divine life” and to allow themselves “to be transformed by the mystery we celebrate.”
“Thus, by incorporating us into Christ, the Eucharist teaches us to adopt the very style of life of the Lord Jesus, which was marked by the free gift of himself,” the pope said.
He also drew on the teaching of St. Augustine, who explained the mystery of the Eucharist to the newly baptized.
“It is your own mystery that you receive,” Augustine wrote, according to the pope. “To what you are, you respond: ‘Amen,’ and your response is like your signature. You are told, ‘The Body of Christ,’ and you reply, ‘Amen.’ Be therefore members of the Body of Christ, so that your ‘Amen’ may be true.”
The tradition of prayer is disappearing from families
Leo resumed his catechesis at the Aug. 5 general audience following a few weeks of rest at Castel Gandolfo. He lamented that many Christian families no longer pass on prayer and urged the faithful to rediscover it as a fundamental dimension of human life.
“Furthermore, even in many Christian families, the tradition of prayer is no longer passed on, whilst many people risk confusing it with just another technique, of a psychological nature aimed at personal well-being,” the pope said.
Leo proposed the Liturgy of the Hours — the Church’s official public prayer — as a remedy.
“To the many people who wish to learn to pray, especially catechumens, it can offer the path and the school of Christian prayer.”
Attendance at Sunday Mass cannot be replaced by virtual participation
In his audience on Aug. 12, Leo reflected on the importance of the liturgical year. He also urged Catholics to prioritize attending Sunday Mass and warned that virtual gatherings cannot replace in-person Mass attendance.
“To sanctify Sunday, it is essential to celebrate the Eucharist,” Leo said. “This
assembly cannot be substituted by a solely virtual presence, nor can it be reduced to a merely passive gathering.”
On the liturgical year, he explained that it should be understood “as a constant renewal of the work of salvation which Christ accomplishes in history.”
“As she journeys through this temporal cycle, the Church remains in contact with the Lord’s redemptive action, so that all the faithful may be filled with his grace.”
The musical heritage of the Church must be preserved
Pope Leo called for the Church’s musical heritage to be preserved during his general audience on Aug. 19. He also said that inculturation can take place in Church music to accommodate different cultures.
“A theme close to the council’s reform is that of inculturation, including in the field of sacred music. In particular, with regard to the musical traditions of different cultures, the council emphasizes the importance of taking them seriously into consideration, as they form part of people’s religious and social life.”
Vatican II reformed the liturgy to promote active participation
Leo concluded his catechesis on the liturgy on Aug. 26, reflecting on the reasons for the liturgical reforms after the Second Vatican Council.
He described those reforms as necessary to encourage active participation by the faithful and urged them not to be mere spectators during the celebration of the liturgy.
“Since the gestures and words of the sacred liturgy are critical to realizing this experience, the participation of the faithful cannot be passive,” Leo said. “The liturgical reform promoted by the Second Vatican Council is thus firmly rooted in the living tradition of the Church.”
Federal judge reverses ‘patently unlawful’ White House visa rule after challenge from Catholic group
A federal judge has struck down a major Trump White House immigration policy, calling the directive “patently unlawful” and handing a win to a Catholic immigration group that brought suit against the administration.
U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas rebuked the Trump administration in the Aug. 21 ruling for what she said was a “direct” infringement on normal federal policy rules.
The U.S. government through the Department of State had issued a policy on Jan. 14 suspending new immigrant visas to dozens of countries. Secretary of State Marco Rubio directed consular offices to adhere to the policy and deny new visas to nationals of 75 countries.
In making the policy, the government alleged that immigrants from those countries were at risk of becoming “public charges.”
The Catholic Legal Immigration Network subsequently sued, arguing that the White House had in part “invented a visa processing regime” that violated U.S. statutory rules.
In her ruling, Vargas described the decision as “not a challenging case.”
Congress established “comprehensive procedures” related to immigrant visa approvals, she said; those rules rely on consular officers to determine whether or not immigrants should receive visas.
The government’s policy, meanwhile, “categorically prohibits the issuance of immigrant visas based upon the nationality of the applicant,” a rule Vargas said is “a direct abrogation of this statutory scheme.”
Vargas said her order would vacate the government’s policy and “set aside and vacate any refusal of an immigrant visa that was based solely upon” that policy.
In a press release after the ruling, the Catholic legal group said it welcomed the decision, describing the government’s rule as one that “disrupted lawful immigration pathways and separated families around the world.”
Anna Gallagher, the group’s executive director, said the case “at its heart … is about keeping families together.”
“The suspension of lawful visa issuance across 75 countries separated spouses, parents and children who were simply following the legal immigration process,” Gallagher said, arguing that the ruling “allow[s] families to once again move forward toward reunification.”
The court’s ruling is the second high-profile loss this summer for the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration policies. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump had exceeded his authority when he signed an executive order to deny citizenship to children born in the U.S. to parents in the country illegally.
In June, however, the high court ruled in favor of several other restrictive immigration policies from the Trump administration, including one that allowed the government to end temporary protected status for Haitian and Syrian migrants. Those policies have received pushback and criticism from the U.S. bishops.
Suspect arrested for arson in burning of historic Catholic church in New Brunswick, Canada
A man is in police custody on charges of arson after a historic church in the Canadian province of New Brunswick burned to the ground.
Saint-Simon Catholic Church near the town of Caraquet was reduced to ashes and was considered a “total loss,” the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said on Aug. 25.
The fire, which consumed the church on Aug. 24, had been “intentionally set,” according to authorities. Police said in a news release that they arrested 68-year-old Gilles Mallet on suspicion of starting the blaze.
In a Facebook post, meanwhile, the town of Caraquet called the parish “a true emblem of our heritage.”
“Far more than just a building, this church held a significant place in our region’s collective memory and cultural life,” the town’s post said.
The parish “welcomed generations of families, hosted gatherings and performances, and was the setting for countless moments that brought our community to life.”
Monica Albert Légère, who lives near the parish, echoed those remarks when she told EWTN News on Aug. 26 that the church was “more than just a building.”
“It was a gathering place — it was the soul and the heart of Saint-Simon,” she said.
She said some commentators blamed immigrants for the blaze, though “no one in Saint-Simon” has leveled such blame. She described local immigrants as “all very kind.”
“We are all heartbroken, of course, but we are united and standing together, and we will get back on our feet as one,” she said.
In an Aug. 24 statement, Bathurst Bishop Michel Proulx, O Praem, said he was “devastated” by the blaze.
“This event has plunged us into deep sorrow,” the bishop wrote, describing the burned parish as an “immeasurable loss.”
“So many memories are tied to this beautiful wooden church: baptisms, weddings, funerals, and so many other significant events,” he said. “Several generations of Christians celebrated their faith there, and it was the precious legacy of our ancestors.”
The bishop said he was offering prayers and support to the Saint-Simon community.
The parish’s roots stretch back more than a century. News reports indicated the church dated to 1918, while the Bathurst directory says that the parish began as a mission in 1910.
Polish bishops demand full return of religion classes ahead of school year
Ahead of the start of the school year in Poland, local bishops there again raised concerns about changes introduced by the Ministry of National Education. They call for the full restoration of religious education and warn about mandatory “health education.”
We feel “obligated to speak out in the spirit of pastoral care for the young,” the episcopate writes in a statement titled “A Young Person Deserves More.”
The document was published Aug. 24 and signed by the presidency of the Polish Bishops' Conference headed by Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda of Gdańsk.
“Religion classes are not a privilege of the Church” but “a constitutional right” based on “freedom of conscience and religion and the right of parents to raise their children in accordance with their own beliefs,” the document stresses.
They also say religious classes can help nonbelievers in schools better understand the history of the nation and Europe as well as the arts, culture, and literature. “Especially in times of crisis,” the document says, religion is a “guiding light that prevents them from getting lost.”
The episcopacy raised concerns that the Ministry of National Education placed “religious education classes before or after other school activities,” reduced “teaching time to one hour per week,” eased mixing of such classes, and removed their grade from the grade point average. They said these measures marginalize religious formation in schools and called for “the immediate restoration of these classes to their proper place and for a genuine dialogue with representatives of religious communities.”
At the same time, the episcopate says “formation of values” is not “opposed to pluralism,” as it “enables respectful dialogue and building community.” Thus, it is not opposed to the choice between religion and ethics classes.
Polish Catholic leaders also voiced reservations about the new compulsory subject “health education.” Although it leaves the theme of sexuality optional, they said it “does not solve the problem,” since such “a sensitive area of human life must respect parents' right to decide” on its form.
They also argue that sexuality should be presented in the context of marital and family relationships, because in this context it serves the true good of humanity. They add that “the lack of a clear position that marriage is a union between a man and a woman is also concerning.”
So far, the proposed changes have sparked controversy due to conflicting views of education. Apart from bishops, the Coalition to Save the Polish Schools opposed “health education” for its allegedly “anti-family and gender-ideology character.”
Diocese in Brazil to become 36th consecrated to St. Michael the Archangel
On Aug. 30, the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu in Paraná state in southern Brazil will become the 36th diocese in the country to be consecrated to St. Michael the Archangel. The consecration will take place during the 20th diocesan pilgrimage with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Sergio de Deus Borges at Our Lady of Guadalupe Cathedral.
The consecration of Brazilian dioceses to St. Michael the Archangel is part of the “Great Reconquest” initiative promoted by the Hesed Institute, a religious institute “dedicated to perpetual adoration and devotion to the blood of Christ, whose charism is to experience, live, and sing of Godʼs mercy through prayer and humble, simple works that transform into powerful intercession.”
The initiative began in July 2025 with the arrival in Brazil of the pilgrim statue of St. Michael from the shrine dedicated to the archangel on Monte Gargano in Italy, the site of the archangelʼs apparitions. To date, 35 Brazilian dioceses have been consecrated.
“Consecrating the diocese to the archangel aims to renew faith and seek spiritual protection against adversities,” Borges explained on the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu’s website. The diocese noted that the consecration is in response to a request from the bishop.
Diocesan pilgrimage
The 20th diocesan pilgrimage aims “to bring the Catholic community together for a moment of faith and devotion to the Most Holy Mother of God,” the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu stated.
The event begins with a triduum Aug. 26–28 held across 30 parishes in 14 cities within the diocese.
On Aug. 29, the day the Church commemorates the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist, patron saint of the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu, a Mass with the participation of the youth ministry will be celebrated at 7 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Parish in downtown Foz.
On Aug. 30, the day of consecration, the program begins with a gathering at 7 a.m. at Mitre Square. At 7:30 a.m., pilgrims will walk in procession to the cathedral carrying the pilgrim images of Our Lady of Guadalupe (the cathedralʼs patron saint) and St. John the Baptist.
The Mass consecrating the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu to St. Michael the Archangel will take place at 9:30 a.m.
Afterward, there will be the recitation of the rosary and confessions. The Mass for the Sick will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Starting at 3 p.m., the Hesed Institute will lead a time of praise, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and the “Combat Rosary.”
The Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu invited everyone to donate "clothing in good condition, nonperishable food, and personal hygiene and cleaning products for those in need.
This story was first published by ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.