Mexico Archdiocese: Abandoned or aborted babies must be buried, treated with dignity
The Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico called on authorities to establish legal mechanisms ensuring a proper burial for miscarried, aborted, or unclaimed deceased babies and to create suitable places for their interment.
In an editorial titled "Let no baby go without burial," published on Aug. 16 in the archdiocesan publication Desde la Fe (From a Faith Perspective), the archdiocese stated that regardless of the circumstances of a babyʼs death, "the dignity with which we treat the body" must be upheld.
Death can occur “during pregnancy, at birth, or in the first days of life; it can result from illness, an unexpected complication, an abortion, or an act of violence,” the editorial noted.
The archdiocese said the bodies of deceased newborns and babies who die late in pregnancy are often “abandoned in public places, in hospitals, or even among the trash.”
In light of this situation, the archdiocese reiterated that “the human body, after death, must be treated with respect, due to its inherent human dignity.”
Unclaimed remains
The archdiocese explained that there are associations and apostolates in Mexico that have agreements with local authorities to “receive the bodies of babies who were miscarried, aborted, or went unclaimed, in order to provide them with a proper burial.”
The associations “do not seek to replace families or hinder judicial or healthcare investigations. Their valuable work is to care for those little ones that no one else is doing anything for,” the editorial stated.
The archdiocese called on the governing authorities to establish mechanisms that, “once all corresponding legal and forensic procedures have been completed, allow for the bodies or remains of unclaimed babies to be turned over to duly accredited institutions and associations prepared to provide them with burial.”
Places for remembrance and prayer
The Archdiocese of Mexico also said it is necessary to “have places specifically set aside for these little ones,” places where the remains of babies “whose families could not bury them or whose bodies were never claimed” could be laid to rest.
“Such a site could also become a place of remembrance, prayer, and comfort for the many mothers, fathers, and families who have endured a loss that they often carry with them in silence,” the archdiocese noted.
The editorial concluded by stating that every person “deserves respect and dignity,” regardless of how “brief their time on this world may have been” or how “difficult the circumstances of their death may have been.”
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.
Archbishop of San Antonio announces laicization of priest for schism and disobedience to the pope
Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio has announced that John Mary Foster, a priest of the archdiocese, has been found guilty of schism and has been dismissed from the clerical state.
According to a statement by the archbishop, Foster, who was incardinated into the Archdiocese of San Antonio in 2009, has publicly referred to Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV as “usurpers.” He published messages allegedly received from God, Jesus, and the Blessed Mother by a member of the Mission of Divine Mercy, which he led, and which he said claimed that Pope Leo XIV is “not a true pope.”
Despite the archbishop’s multiple requests that Foster repent and stop his “schismatic actions and teachings,” the priest continued to celebrate Mass while omitting the names of both the late Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV from the Eucharistic Prayer.
In response to Foster’s disobedience, a tribunal of independent canon lawyers authorized by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith conducted a judicial process that began April 10, 2025. The tribunal spent over a year reviewing evidence consisting of Foster’s statements, actions, homilies, and teachings. It also heard testimony from witnesses.
On April 20, 2026, the tribunal declared Foster guilty of the crime of schism for his refusal of submission to the Roman pontiff. It imposed “latae sententiae” excommunication and removed him from the clerical state.
Foster did not exercise his right of appeal.
“To be Catholic is to be in communion with the pope, the bishop of Rome and the successor of Saint Peter, and with the college of bishops in communion with him,” García-Siller wrote.
“Throughout the history of the Church, those who sever ties from this sacred communion often profess to remain in communion with the true Church, even as they deny the successors to Peter and the Apostles, with whom they disagree,” the archbishop continued. “History has shown that these schisms, often initiated by charismatic leaders and based in politics, heresy, or poorly executed attempts at reform, always result in splintered communities who find themselves no longer in communion with the Catholic Church.”
“Sadly, this is the case with John Mary Foster and any who choose to follow him out of the Catholic Church,” he said. “Mr. Foster has chosen the path of disobedience.”
As a result of the sentence, Foster no longer possesses faculties to celebrate the sacraments except in the limited circumstances provided by canon law.
García-Siller said that though he has prohibited Foster from publicly celebrating Mass, “he continues to do so.”
The archbishop has prohibited all Catholics from attending any Mass, liturgical activity, or event sponsored by Foster or the Mission of Divine Mercy in Canyon Lake, telling EWTN News that “they continue to sew disunity.” He has also urged the faithful to cease all financial support to Foster and the Mission of Divine Mercy.
García-Siller said “the recent actions taken against him and the mission are painful but warranted” because “the archdiocese has sought repentance from John Mary Foster and the Mission of Divine Mercy” for many years.
He encouraged Catholics to pray for Foster’s repentance and reconciliation with the Church.
OAS council approves call for foreign ministers’ meeting on Nicaragua crackdown
The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) voted to summon hemispheric foreign ministers for an emergency session on Nicaragua following President Daniel Ortega’s vow to end elections and ongoing concerns about government pressure on the Catholic Church.
The council adopted the resolution, “Convocation of a Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs to Consider the Situation in Nicaragua,” on Aug. 19 in a 29-1 vote among member states, with only Brazil voting against the measure and Mexico abstaining. Haiti and Venezuela were absent.
Argentina, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay, and the United States advanced the measure after presenting it at an Aug. 5 special session of the OAS Permanent Council. The U.S. is calling for the meeting to take place before Sept. 1, when the Ortega regime is set to codify its latest policy reforms, including the suspension of future elections.
The move invokes one of the OAS’ highest‑level diplomatic tools, signaling that member states view Nicaragua’s political rupture as a regional concern with direct human rights implications. It comes after Ortega’s announcement and other constitutional changes aimed at blocking opposition figures from power.
In October 2023, the Permanent Council unanimously approved the resolution “Rejection of the Repressive Measures of the Government of Nicaragua Against Educational Institutions and the Catholic Church in Nicaragua.” Nicaragua withdrew from the OAS in November 2023.
Commissioner Rosa María Payá, rapporteur for Nicaragua at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, expressed concern at the Aug. 5 OAS Permanent Council meeting over ongoing human rights abuses against Nicaraguans, including arbitrary detentions and forced disappearances.
Payá, a Catholic of Cuban descent, told EWTN News: “We are very concerned about the situation of the persecution of the Catholic Church in Nicaragua and the persecution of the faith in general, and the practice and the exercise of the faith.”
“Iʼm Catholic myself and I also come from a society that has suffered the violation of human rights,” she said. “So I deeply understand what it is to to be afraid to speak your mind, what it is to be afraid of practicing and voicing your faith, which is a very primary human exercise.”
Payá is the daughter of Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas, a Catholic dissident who founded the Christian Liberation Movement, a peaceful democratic movement inspired by Catholic social teaching in 1988. He was killed during the Cuban Spring in 2012.
Catholic bishops urge prayers against abortion by mail that ‘leaves women vulnerable’
With an increasing number of abortions done via sending pills through the U.S. mail, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is urging Catholics across the nation to pray to St. Joseph to “stop the spread” of abortion pills.
The bishops are calling for sustained and dedicated prayer from Aug. 18 to Oct. 31, with the campaign launching ahead of Respect Month Life in October.
USCCB President Archbishop Paul Coakley and Bishop Daniel Thomas, who heads the bishops’ committee on pro-life activities, urged Catholics to “join a focused effort of prayer and action to stop the spread of abortion pills.”
Activists have criticized the mailing of abortion pills as a largely unregulated and dangerous practice. Pro-life advocates were dealt a blow in May when the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily allowed for the continued mailing of abortion pills throughout the U.S. amid a legal dispute over the practice.
“Every abortion involves the death of a child and harm to the mother,” the two bishops wrote in an Aug. 18 letter. “Now with easier access to abortion pills, the abortion rate is tragically climbing, along with increased health risks.”
“The Food and Drug Administration has enabled a nationwide mail-order abortion industry by allowing abortion pills to be prescribed in telehealth appointments and sold both at neighborhood pharmacies and online, circumventing state laws that protect life in the womb,” the bishops wrote.
They said the federal government’s lack of regulation makes women “vulnerable to suffering an abortion alone at home, without any medical supervision” and “sets up additional opportunities for exploitation by violent partners or human traffickers.”
The bishops urged Catholics to visit the USCCB’s Respect Life campaign website, where visitors can “learn about the danger of abortion pills [and] send messages to pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies that are involved.”
People ‘thirsting for Christ’ at procession in Brazil, bishop says
About 50,000 faithful took part in the closing procession for the novena to Our Lady of Glory in Brazil on Aug. 15. The local bishop, Flávio Giovenale, said the large turnout reflects the faith of the people, who are “thirsting for Christ.”
“This multitude is saying: We want spirituality, we want Jesus, and we love Our Lady because she leads us to Jesus,” the bishop told the website Juruá 24 Horas.
“Our Lady is like a mother who takes us to school; the teacher — the master — is Jesus, and Our Lady leads us to him,” he said.
The devotees walked about two miles in a procession lasting nearly two hours. Holding candles, they followed the image of Our Lady, praying and giving thanks.
“We came to give thanks for the harvest and for our family’s health. Being here among so many people sharing the same purpose is something indescribable,” farmer Renilson Fox said to news website G1.
“We spend the whole year waiting for this moment,” veterinarian Douglas Vasconcelos told G1. He said that for him, this “is a day to renew our faith and give thanks for so many graces received.”
Mary is our ‘prototype’
“Today, we celebrate Our Lady of Glory, who is already there [in glory], a gift from God,” Giovenale said during the Mass at the Cruzeiro do Sul cathedral prior to the procession. The bishop recalled Jesus’s words: “I am going to the Father’s glory, and after I prepare a place, I will return and take you with me.”
“We say that at the end of time, we will all rise again and be reunited in body and soul to live in heaven, body and soul. But for Our Lady, Jesus chose to make an exception, a gift. In his freedom, he said: ‘Our Lady was the first to say yes to me; she will also be the first to rise again,’” he explained.
The bishop recalled that the Dormition of Mary, although not found in the Bible, has been a tradition “since the early years” of Christianity. It says “that Our Lady fell asleep in the Lord and Jesus came and took her, body and soul.”
“She is there in heaven, body and soul, as the first Christian, the first to say ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord,’ and the first to rise again, body and soul. She is, as it were, our prototype,” he said.
In his homily, Giovenale said that before attaining glory, Mary served, and Christians must follow her example to reach the kingdom of heaven.
“We’re going to walk in procession, why? Because Mary — after receiving the angel’s announcement that she would be the Mother of the Savior, and after saying, ‘I am the servant of the Lord’ — what did she do? She went to serve Elizabeth,” he said.
“To serve, to be Christians, to be a faithful people, we can’t afford to slack off. Jesus promised us happiness, not ease. It requires effort; it requires saying, ‘I want to serve,’ just as Mary did,” he said.
The bishop recalled that it was Jesus who said, “I came into the world not to be served, but to serve.”
“Mary was the one who, in so many ways, anticipated this, because she is the first to be faithful to Jesus,” he added.
Giovenale cited the theme of this year’s novena to Our Lady of Glory: “Our Lady of Glory, Mother of the Faithful People.”
“If we want to be faithful to Jesus, faithful to God, we must imitate Mary — to journey forth and go serve others,” he said.
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.
Appeals court upholds block on immigration enforcement at some religious sites
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit on Aug. 18 upheld a Maryland judge’s order blocking a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) policy that would have loosened limits on immigration enforcement at or near houses of worship while the case proceeds.
The plaintiffs, including the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Sikh Temple Sacramento, and several Quaker organizations, sought the injunction after DHS ended the policy that treated churches as “sensitive locations” in January 2025.
DHS previously restricted immigration enforcement from conducting arrests at churches and other sensitive locations unless there is approval from a supervisor or there is an urgent need to take enforcement action.
Instead, the Trump administration’s policy requires officials to use “discretion” and “common sense” when deciding where to conduct immigration enforcement.
The plaintiffs filed suit against DHS in the District of Maryland on Jan. 27, 2025, alleging that the policy violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).
The district court granted the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction, ordering DHS to follow its prior guidelines, most recently issued in 2021. On May 6, 2025, DHS appealed the preliminary injunction to the 4th Circuit.
The case is not the first lawsuit of its kind. Dozens of other religious groups have brought similar lawsuits against DHS following the policy shift.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan said in February he and Rev. Franklin Graham teamed up to oppose immigration enforcement in churches, warning that ICE’s presence at Sunday Mass was driving people away. He called the practice a violation of religious freedom, saying the federal government cannot harass people who come to worship.
Religious Freedom Restoration Act invoked
In the Aug. 18 decision, the senior circuit judge, Barbara Milano Keenan, wrote the judges “hold that the plaintiffs have standing to pursue their claims.” She said they agree with the lower court that DHS policy likely violates the plaintiffs’ rights under the RFRA.
“RFRA proscribes not only outright governmental prohibition of the free exercise of religion but also forbids indirect coercion, substantial pressure, or penalties being placed on such free exercise,” she said. “Governmental action meeting this test creates a substantial burden on free exercise, rendering that action subject to strict scrutiny.”
The decision was met with positive reactions from the plaintiffs, who said it “reaffirms a fundamental promise of religious liberty: every person should be able to gather, worship, pray, and serve their community without fear that immigration enforcement will unlawfully disrupt sacred spaces.”
“We are grateful that the court has preserved these protections while this case moves forward, and we will continue fighting to ensure that religious freedom remains meaningful for every congregation and every person who walks through our doors,” the coalition of plaintiffs said in a statement.
Second Philippine school shooting in 2 months hits Jesuit university
Catholics in the Philippines observed a day of mourning Wednesday, one day after a shooting at a Catholic school left two students dead.
A ninth-grade student shot and killed a classmate in the grade above him on the morning of Aug. 18 at the junior high school campus of Ateneo de Zamboanga University in the southern Philippines before taking his own life, police said.
Authorities have identified the attacker only as a minor. Officials said he livestreamed the attack on Facebook.
The junior high school is part of Ateneo de Zamboanga University, founded by the Society of Jesus in 1912. The institution educates students from grade school through postgraduate level.
Father Guillrey Anthony Andal, SJ, the university president, canceled classes at all levels and declared a day of mourning and prayer across the universityʼs campuses. “We do not want any of these things to happen,” he said, adding the safety of students was the universityʼs first priority.
The university urged the public in a statement not to share unverified information, photographs, or videos of the incident, saying these could harm those affected and hinder the investigation.
The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines, which represents the countryʼs Catholic schools, colleges, and universities, cautioned against speculation, saying in a statement that behind every report and social media post were students, families, and teachers in “profound grief and shock.” Ateneo de Manila and Ateneo de Davao universities issued statements of solidarity, local media reported.
The attack was the second at a Philippine school in two months. Three students were killed in June when two schoolmates opened fire at a public high school in Tacloban City in the central Philippines, local media reported.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered an investigation and directed agencies to work with schools on safety measures. Schools “must also be among the safest places in our country,” he said in a statement. Education Secretary Sonny Angara traveled to Zamboanga City on Wednesday to meet the university president, city officials, and police.
A senior Bureau of Customs official told local media one of the weapons used had been issued by the agency to the attackerʼs father, a customs enforcement officer at the Port of Zamboanga, who has been placed under preventive suspension.
‘A country that’s dying every day’: 94% of Cubans live in extreme poverty
According to the “9th Study on Social Rights” in Cuba published on Aug. 13, 94% of Cubans live in extreme poverty, eight out of 10 have been forced to skip a meal during the day, and 95% disapprove of the governmentʼs economic and social management.
Yet behind these figures lie the stories of people who don’t know what they will eat the next day, the sick who can’t get their medications, and families surviving thanks to aid received from abroad.
Osvaldo Gallardo, a writer and Catholic layman originally from Camagüey, emigrated to the United States but maintains frequent contact with family and friends who remain on the island. From abroad, as a religious freedom activist, he closely follows a situation he says has become increasingly unbearable.
“What strikes me most is the infinite sadness, the absolute hopelessness, the listlessness, the desperation, and the anguish with which my relatives and everyone I know in Cuba live their daily lives,” Gallardo stated in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.
“It’s immeasurable; it’s a total lack of meaning in life, a loss of any sense of where we are headed or what our goals are,” he added.
The study, based on 1,318 interviews conducted across the country’s 15 provinces and the special district of Isla de la Juventud, reveals a severe deterioration in such fundamental areas as food, healthcare, housing, and public services.
Sixty-eight percent of the households surveyed report monthly incomes of less than 20,000 Cuban pesos, approximately $30. Furthermore, 80% state that they have skipped breakfast, lunch, or dinner due to a lack of money or food shortages.
Power outages are the primary issue cited by respondents (70%), followed by the food crisis (52%), the cost of living (45%), and the state of public health, including access to medicine and medical care (34%).
For Gallardo, these figures reflect a reality that can be confirmed simply by speaking with those who remain on the island.
“Hardships on the island have always been immense, but right now, the outlook is bleaker than at any other time in the history of Cuba’s nearly 70-year dictatorship,” he stated.
8 out of 10 Cubans go without a meal
One of the most concerning findings of the study relates to food. Eighty percent of Cubans report having gone without a meal during the day, compared with 70% the previous year.
Gallardo said this reality comes up constantly in conversations with his relatives and on social media.
“I couldnʼt tell you what people do to survive. I donʼt know how. There are people who manage to survive. And I donʼt think Iʼm wrong to say that there are people who arenʼt surviving. There are people who are starving to death,” he stated.
He said he personally makes an effort to periodically send food, medicines, and hygiene products to his relatives. However, he acknowledged that there are limits to the help he can give.
“Given my financial situation, I can’t provide everything they need,” he lamented.
The study indicates that 63% of respondents struggle to acquire even the most essential goods, while another 30% have incomes that barely cover basic needs. All told, nine out of 10 Cuban households are in a state of economic survival.
“I imagine that 90% of Cubans right now wake up without knowing what they’re going to have for lunch, without knowing what they’re going to eat, without knowing what they’re going to have for breakfast,” Gallardo said.
In his view, there is no need to wait for an investigation to confirm this reality.
“That is a reality one can sense the moment one looks at social media. You don’t need to conduct a study; you need do nothing more than check social media in the morning to see for yourself that the 94% poverty rate cited in the report is an undeniable fact,” he pointed out.
‘It’s a country that’s dying every day’
Food shortages are not the only problem. The crisis is also hitting hard those in need of medical care.
The study identifies public health and the lack of medicines as top concerns for Cubans. Gallardo warned that the situation is particularly difficult for the chronically ill and the elderly.
“People are dying. The chronically ill are dying. People are dying of hunger. There are photos of elderly people in truly pitiful conditions. There are reports. People are dying. It’s a country that’s dying every day,” he lamented.
“Young people are also dying due to health issues. People who see no future and commit suicide,” he added.
Precarious conditions are also evident in housing. According to the study, 47% of homes need repairs, 25% require urgent repairs, and 7% are at risk of collapse. Another 4% of respondents report living in shelters or makeshift camps, while 2% live on the street.
Public services have not escaped this deterioration either. Ninety-five percent rate the condition of the electrical grid as poor, while garbage collection receives a negative rating from 87% of respondents. Dissatisfaction is at 86% regarding internet and telephone services; 84% for water and sewage systems; and 82% for hospitals and healthcare centers.
The Church is trying to respond to the crisis
Amid the situation, the Catholic Church appears to many people as one of the few places where they can find help.
Gallardo highlighted the charitable work carried out by the Catholic Church and other Christian communities in Cuba, especially through the distribution of aid sent from the United States.
“There are many people for whom, if they had a substantial meal once a week, or a pill or medication once a week to relieve pain, it was thanks to the Church,” he noted.
However, he also warned that the needs are too great for the Church to meet on its own.
“It’s not enough, because the Church in Cuba itself needs help and has often survived on aid from abroad,” he stated.
For Gallardo, the Church offers something that goes beyond material aid.
“People in Cuba can find solace in the Church; they can find a helping hand, a listening ear, and sometimes material aid, though that will never be enough,” he noted.
The writer also pointed out the limitations the Church faces in expanding its social work.
“The Church doesnʼt have the autonomy to run a soup kitchen. The Church doesn’t have the autonomy to run a nursing home; it does operate them, but under very tight state control, and this cannot expand because the Church doesn’t have the financial capabilities,” he explained.
95% disapproval rating
Economic deterioration is accompanied by strong disapproval of the way the government is running things.
The study indicates that 95% of respondents view the governmentʼs economic and social management negatively, while only 3% rate the performance of President Miguel Díaz-Canel and Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz positively.
Furthermore, 84% have no confidence in the latest economic measures announced by the authorities and don’t believe they will contribute to improving the countryʼs situation.
For Yaxys Cires, director of strategy at the Cuban Observatory for Human Rights, these results reflect “the Cuban regime has completely exhausted its political and economic capabilities.”
“Their administration is widely rejected by the public, and their measures fail to inspire confidence. Yet, it is the people who bear the burden of this decline, especially the elderly and the chronically ill,” Cires pointed out.
A desire for change also clearly emerges from the respondents' answers. Seventy-six percent want both political and economic transformations. Only 7% believe that lifting the U.S. embargo should be the primary change, and virtually no one favors maintaining the status quo.
‘The Cuban people are alone’
Gallardo said he believes Cuban discontent is nothing new. For decades, he said, successive generations have sought ways to express their rejection of the political system.
In this context, the protests of July 11, 2021, marked in his view a turning point.
“For a long time, the Cuban people have been told that they haven’t done enough. That’s not true. When you look at history, there have been many forms of rebellion among the Cuban people and in the diaspora since the Cuban dictatorship was imposed in 1959,” he pointed out.
“But if there was one thing that changed the game, it was July 11, 2021. Since then, protests in Cuba have not stopped,” he noted.
The study shows that there is still an expectation that things could change. Half of the respondents believe that a significant and favorable change for the Cuban people could occur within the next six months.
Gallardo, however, warned of the vulnerable situation facing the population.
“It is an unarmed people, a hungry people, a repressed people. And Cuba’s rulers — the dictatorship — will not yield,” he stated.
For this reason, he believes that international pressure could be decisive.
“People are waiting for something to happen, and without outside help, without significant international pressure on the Cuban dictatorship, it’s unlikely that anything will, because the people could rise up only to be ruthlessly suppressed in the streets,” he explained.
“But the reality is that the Cuban people are dying, and while the Cuban people are dying, people are looking the other way,” he added.
Christian hope
Despite everything he observes and hears from his relatives and compatriots, Gallardo said he still holds onto hope.
He places that hope, at least for now, not in immediate political change but in his faith.
“If you ask me today whether I have hope, I believe I have the Christian hope that God, the Lord of history, will look upon us with mercy,” he said.
“But that is my hope. My hope does not lie in any human event right now, at least not in the medium term. I hope and trust in the Lord,” he affirmed.
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: The musical heritage of the Church must be preserved
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV has highlighted the importance of sacred music in the liturgy, calling for the Church’s musical heritage to be preserved while fostering healthy inculturation of local traditions.
“For this reason, the composer of sacred music is called to know and preserve the musical heritage of the Church, allowing it to inspire new compositions at the service of the liturgy, while respecting contemporary sensibilities and the different cultural traditions,” Leo said.
In his address during his general audience at the Vatican on Aug. 19, the pontiff continued his catechesis on the Second Vatican Council’s constitution on the liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium.
The general audience was his third of the month to be held inside St. Peter’s Basilica due to Rome’s high summer temperatures.
Sacred music — an integral part of the liturgy
Leo discussed the Second Vatican Councilʼs emphasis on the role of sacred music in the liturgy.
“The document states that ‘The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art,’” Leo explained.
He also explained that sacred music fosters both prayer and communion among the faithful.
“Music, indeed, is part of the liturgical action and is not merely a decorative part of the celebration,” Leo said. “In particular, music expresses the affective dimension of prayer, as St. Augustine says: ‘Cantare amantis est,‘ that is, ‘singing belongs to those who love.’”
“Singing also fosters communion. It contributes to the unity of hearts, overcoming differences between people and bringing everyone together in praise of God through the symphony of voices,” he added.
Tradition, inculturation, and active participation
The pope went on to explain that, because sacred music is so important, the liturgy should be celebrated with dignity, with music that is both noble and simple. He also highlighted the role of Gregorian chant and the pipe organ in fostering devotion during the liturgy.
“The Council then attributes great value to Gregorian chant, without excluding other genres of sacred music from the celebration. Particular attention is also given to the pipe organ, while the use of other instruments is permitted ‘on condition that the instruments are suitable, or can be made suitable, for sacred use, accord with the dignity of the temple, and truly contribute to the edification of the faithful,’” Leo said.
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Leo also discussed inculturation in Church music to incorporate diverse 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.”
The pope also encouraged the faithful to participate in singing parts of the Mass to reflect the sacred mysteries being celebrated.
“Sacrosanctum Concilium devotes considerable attention to the theme of the active participation of the faithful,” Leo said. “As for the concrete way in which this can be achieved through the specific role of sacred music, the Constitution offers a clear answer: ‘the people should be encouraged to take part by means of acclamations, responses, psalmody, antiphons, and songs’ and ‘reverent silence’ should be fostered.”
Iraqi woman wins final ruling to restore Christian identity in government records
The issue of Iraqi children being legally registered as Muslim when one of their parents converts to Islam has returned to public attention after an Iraqi woman won a final court ruling allowing her official religious identity to be restored to Christian in government records.
The case was announced by ADF International, an organization that advocates for religious freedom.
According to the organization, Iraq’s Court of Cassation issued a final ruling allowing the woman’s religious classification in the government database to be changed back to “Christian,” reflecting the faith she practices after experiencing the consequences of the law.
Several Iraqi laws concerning religious identity have raised questions in light of Article 2 of the Iraqi constitution, which guarantees religious rights and freedom of belief and religious practice for all individuals, including Christians, Yazidis, and Mandaeans.
Earlier laws, including the Population Registration Laws No. 59 of 1955 and No. 54 of 1927, allowed individuals to change their religion. Later legislation took a different approach. The Civil Status Laws No. 189 of 1964 and No. 65 of 1972 allowed only non-Muslims to change their religion, an approach that continued in later laws. The legislation also states that minor children are registered as Muslim if one of their parents converts to Islam.
To better understand the issue, its legal and social consequences, and possible ways to address it, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, spoke with Kaldo Ramzi Oghanna, a member of the Iraqi Parliament and head of the Christian Suyana Parliamentary Bloc.
Oghanna explained that the case recently reported in the media began with a lawsuit filed before the Personal Status Court in the Hamdaniya district. The ruling was later reviewed by higher courts before a final decision was reached.
The history of the ‘right to return’
Oghanna spoke about the difficulties faced by children who were registered as Muslim after one of their parents converted to Islam.
He explained that from the adoption of Civil Status Law No. 65 of 1972 until the 1990s, Iraqi courts allowed a child whose official religion had been changed because of a parent’s conversion to return to his or her original religion after reaching legal adulthood.
He cited Presidential Office Letter No. T/9/33963, dated Sept. 25, 1988, which explicitly recognized the right to return to one’s original religion within one year of reaching legal adulthood.
Oghanna said the situation changed during the 1990s, during what became known as the “Faith Campaign.”
“At that time, a judge sent a letter to former President Saddam Hussein arguing that the right to return amounted to ‘apostasy from Islam,’” Oghanna said. “A directive was subsequently issued prohibiting it.”
He added that the rights continued to be applied in similar cases in the Kurdistan Region from 1992 until 2003.
The legal situation after 2003
After 2003, when Iraq’s judicial system was reunified, people seeking to return to their original religion faced further difficulties because courts did not always take the same approach to such cases, Oghanna explained.
The situation remained complicated until 2020, when Judge Ahmed Jassab al Saadi called for these cases to be reconsidered without applying Islamic law provisions to them.
He based his position on Iraq’s commitments under international agreements, particularly the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.
“This created a more positive approach in the courts, allowing a person who reaches the age of 18 to return to his or her original religion within one year,” Oghanna said.
What challenges remain?
Oghanna warned that the one-year deadline remains a major challenge for people who want to restore their original religious identity.
He said the period may be too short for someone to understand the legal process and file a case to correct his or her official records — therefore he called for a longer period and for the law to be applied consistently in such cases.
Oghanna said his parliamentary bloc is working with the government and the judiciary on several key issues. These include addressing the registration of children as Muslim when one parent converts to Islam and guaranteeing their right to return to their original religion after reaching adulthood without a specific time limit.
The bloc is also seeking to amend Article 26, Section 2, of Iraq’s National Identity Card Law, which states that minor children follow the religion of a parent who converts to Islam.
Establishing legal precedents
Oghanna stressed that changing the law should be accompanied by efforts within the judicial system to protect the right of individuals to return to their original religion and to safeguard freedom of religion and belief, in accordance with Iraq’s constitution and international commitments.
He also emphasized the importance of documenting previous court decisions that supported this right so they can be used as legal precedents in future cases.
This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated for and adapted by EWTN News English.