Conceived in rape, adopted on Juneteenth
Juneteenth, short for June 19, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. For Ryan Bomberger, he also remembers the day his life changed through adoption.
Bomberger was conceived in rape. Even in states with strong protections for the unborn, these protections often don’t extend to children conceived in rape. Some consider these exceptions a mercy to women who have suffered assault; others consider abortion a secondary trauma.
“My birth mom chose courage in the midst of the chaos,” Bomberger told EWTN News. “She had a strength within that enabled her to be stronger than her circumstances.”
“She rejected what the world says was her right and, in some circles, her obligation,” Bomberger said. “The world looks at lives like mine and says we should have been aborted.”
“I have nothing but love and compassion for the post-abortive, but had my birth mom given in to the lie, I wouldn’t be here,” he said. “Those beautiful generational reverberations wouldn’t exist.”
“My family — my heart — wouldnʼt exist,” he said.
As an adult, Bomberger advocates for unborn babies and for adoption through the organization he co-founded with his wife, the Radiance Foundation.
Adopted into a diverse, loving family
After nearly being aborted, Bomberger was adopted into a large and loving family on June 19, 1971.
“I was the first of 10 children adopted and loved by parents who loved Jesus. They had three biological children prior to adopting,” he said. “We were a diverse family of white, Black, mixed, Asian, Native American, able, and disabled children from different backgrounds who became one family because of our faith.”
“We grew up on a farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania — the perfect place for all of us as we did life together,” Bomberger said. “People often looked at us, confused, trying to figure out whether we were a youth group, a team from school, or some other kind of unrelated crowd of kids. It was fun to see some of their reactions when they learned that we were all Bombergers.”
“Our family served as a powerful testament to the community about how color isn’t what binds us, but love is,” he said.
“I knew I was loved, unconditionally,” Bomberger said. “And I was a complete handful.”
Bomberger’s experience of adoption inspired him to advocate for adoption in his work — and to adopt two children.
Bomberger advocates for adoption through AdoptedAndLoved.com, an initiative that “helps defray expenses for Christian families seeking to adopt,” Bomberger said.
“I was grafted in as one of their own,” he said of the Bombergers. “That’s the beauty of adoption.”
“In the natural and the supernatural, it makes you a son or daughter without a disclaimer,” he continued. “It’s an act of love, mercy, and justice that helps brings wholeness and healing to what was broken.”
Juneteenth: Self-sacrificial love
For Bomberger, Juneteenth is a reminder of the unity of Christ’s love.
“Juneteenth broke through color barriers both in our nation’s history and in my own personal life,” Bomberger said. “Both situations took courageous white and Black people rejecting the lies about our humanity and choosing self-sacrificial love instead.”
“Juneteenth is a great reminder that there’s beauty in unity,” he said. “Only Christ’s love brings perfect unity.”
Bomberger advocates especially those targeted by Planned Parenthood, which often places locations in Black communities and has a history of eugenics and racism.
“Juneteenth demonstrates how truth has to get over so many obstacles to be finally heard and bring the freedom that is its very nature,” Bomberger said. “Our nation’s soul was finally moved by the truth that we’re created equal and led to the abolition of the inhumane institution of slavery.”
“My prayer is that the work I do helps bring this great nation to that same awakening when it comes to the inhumane institution of abortion,” he said.
How is the Black community targeted by the abortion industry?
Bomberger advocates against the abortions of all unborn babies, but especially Black babies.
He described Planned Parenthood as “the leading killer of Black lives.”
“Planned Parenthood kills more Black lives in two weeks than the KKK killed in a century,” Bomberger said.
Bomberger noted that Planned Parenthood has a past history of racism.
“Planned Parenthood has a long history of targeting the Black community initially through its eugenics programs including the Negro Project,” Bomberger said.
“Presently, it overtly targets the Black community with their facility placements, racial propaganda, marketing, and specific programs (i.e., Black Organizing Program, African-Americans for Planned Parenthood, and Stand with Black Women),” he said.
“They even admit in writing: ‘The fact is — Black people are our base,’” Bomberger continued.
“Planned Parenthood poses as an ally in a community they ravage with abortion,” he said.
Motivated by faith in Christ
Bomberger is inspired by his faith, his family, and love for all people.
“My faith in Jesus fuels my activism,” he said. “My resilient and resourceful wife, Bethany, who is the co-founder of our organization, inspires me.”
“1 Corinthians 13:6 says: ‘Love does not delight in evil, but it rejoices in the truth,’” he said.
“Everything I do is motivated by love for Christ and love for people,” he said.
“Our four children, two of whom were adopted, are the reason why we fight for the most marginalized,” he said. “They’ve been involved in our ministry since they were toddlers.”
His organization publishes children’s books that teach “an age-appropriate pro-life worldview” for kids.
“Each book shares the truth that every human life, whether planned, unplanned, able, or disabled, has God-given purpose.”
“We’ve taught them that every human life has equal and inherent worth from God, not government,” he said. “It’s been a blessing to see them, over the years, be able to communicate God’s heart for the most vulnerable through our original content and to live audiences across the country.”
Pope Leo XIV: Synodality can help us avoid being another Tower of Babel
Pope Leo XIV on Friday highlighted the role of synodality in promoting the common good and avoiding new divisions.
In his private audience with the participants of the Borgo Dialogues at the Vatican on June 19, Leo praised their work as a commitment to the “ecological, social, and economic transformation of the world.” He also described their work as grounded in the Church’s vision to promote global unity.
“Your dialogues have been structured on the Catholic Church’s vision of synodality, listening from the ground up while fostering global unity,” Leo said.
In his remarks, the pope drew extensively on his recent encyclical on artificial intelligence, Magnifica Humanitas. He urged leaders to resist the temptation to prioritize profits over a civilization of love.
“In the face of the temptation to build the ‘Tower of Babel,’ which represents the idolatry of profit at the expense of the most vulnerable and enhances the risk of dehumanization, we are called to contribute to the construction of the New Jerusalem, the civilization of love, in which love is the only guiding principle of economic, political, and cultural life.”
The Borgo Dialogues were held June 17–19 at the Borgo Laudato Si’, part of the Pontifical Villa Gardens in Castel Gandolfo. Inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, the meetings brought together leaders from academia, culture, and business to focus on global ecological challenges and related topics.
4 Venezuelans form new community of hermits where Christianity began in Spain
Since last May, the Diocese of Guadix in Spain has been home to a new community of hermits — four Venezuelan men who have settled at the site of the martyrdom of St. Torquatus.
St. Torquatus, beheaded in the first century, was one of the seven reputed disciples of the apostle James, known as the apostolic men, who were the first to preach Christianity in Spain.
Carlos Andrés, Óscar Eduardo, Osmar Moisés, and Emilio José have taken up residence at Face Retama, a desert area within the Granada Geopark and the location of the hermitage of St. Torquatus, the patron saint of the Diocese of Guadix.
The four Venezuelans have formed a community known as the Hermits of Sts. Torquatus, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, receiving their habits in early May.
According to the Diocese of Guadix, this diocesan foundation was established through the efforts of Bishop Francisco Jesús Orozco, who wants to ensure that the diocese “keep[s] the memory of the place alive and pray[s] for the Church proclaimed by St. Torquatus in the first century and that endures to this day.”
In recent years, the hermitage of Face Retama has been restored and designated a diocesan shrine, with plans for regular Masses and pilgrimages.
The four new hermits have been preparing for their arrival for three years and, prior to establishing the community, underwent a period of acclimatization to the location.
“They arrive guided by and inspired by the charism of the Congregation of Martha and Mary, which already has two communities of women religious in the diocese, one in Castril and the other in the city of Guadix,” the diocese explained.
The ceremony consecrating the four men as hermits held at the Guadix Cathedral was attended by numerous religious sisters from this community, including its founder, Mother Ángela, and the superior general, Mother Rutilia.
Signs of their commitment as hermits
Several signs of the new communityʼs eremitic life were present during the celebration: a white tablecloth, recalling the table Martha prepared for Jesus, the purity of Lazarus’s resurrection, and the Eucharist they will celebrate daily; a cross with its nails, a symbol of the self-offering of the family of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, “seeking nothing other than to unite with the sufferings of Christ in order to share in his glory”; and a staff, a water gourd, and sandals, reminding that “the hermit through his seclusion upholds the mission of the Church through prayer.”
During the homily, Orozco reminded the newly consecrated men of their new commitments: “In the perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, you will be the beating heart of our diocese, interceding ceaselessly for the needs of the Church and, very especially, for the needs of our Holy Father, the pope.”
He also reminded them that their new way of life “is not a flight from the world. It is much more; it is personal intimacy with Christ.”
“In the desert of Face Retama you will never be alone. Where a Christian or where a hermit lives, he gives himself, suffers, makes sacrifices, and lives in fidelity to prayer and contemplation; there the entire Church is with him. That is the desert, that is your vocation,” he continued.
“In you, dear hermits, we place our rich history of 21 centuries of faith; may Face Retama, through your fidelity, be heaven on Earth,” the bishop told them.
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.
Catholic mental health leader calls for greater support for clergy and religious
As mental health challenges continue to rise, the head of one of the nation’s premier Catholic behavioral health centers is calling for renewed awareness and support for those serving in the Church.
David Shellenberger, president and CEO of the Saint John Vianney Center, which helps those in ministry navigate stress, anxiety, addiction, vocational transitions, and other challenges, stressed in an interview the importance of caring for them.
When asked by anchor Veronica Dudo on “EWTN News Nightly” why it is so important for Catholics to talk openly about the mental health needs of clergy, Shellenberger emphasized the humanity of those called to ministry.
We need “to make sure that we are always aware of the stressors that come up in their lives. While they’re called to ministry, they are human first,” he said.
They are “just like all of us,” he continued, “[who] come preconditioned with certain situations that we may be predisposed to.”
Catholics must make “sure that spiritually, physically, and emotionally we are always caring for our clergy and religious,” he said. It is “essential because they are being challenged every single day to do more with less. And we as a laity can continue to support them with our time and our talent, and also, most importantly, our prayers.”
The Saint John Vianney Center, founded in 1946 in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, is the longest-running Catholic behavioral health and addictions treatment center for clergy and consecrated religious in the world. It also serves clergy from other religious denominations.
Shellenberger highlighted a milestone the center is observing in 2026: “This year we celebrate 80 years of ministry to the Church,” he said.
“Our approach begins from Christ’s healing presence and addresses the multi-dimensional nature of the healing process — the integration of spiritual, human, intellectual, and pastoral well-being,” the website reads.
The center offers residential and outpatient treatment, spiritual direction, mental health counseling and psychotherapy, vocational assessments, and consultation services that integrate Catholic spirituality with clinical excellence. It also offers education programs and wellness initiatives to religious orders and parishes, both online and in person.
The center also maintains outpatient services on the West Coast through a partnership with the Kairos Psychology Group in Oakland, California.
When asked about the role of bishops, parish staff, and parishioners in caring for the psychological and spiritual well-being of clergy, Shellenberger replied that first, we must acknowledge “that the stressors exist for all of our Church ministers.”
The next step is “being able to coordinate the supportive services that our clergy and religious need.”
“It’s not just top-down and it’s not just bottom-up. It’s both. And when we can care and cradle our clergy and religious in that way, they will be successful in providing us the ministry they were called to,” he said.
New workshop trains Catholic scientists to fight myth of faith-science conflict
CHICAGO — Can faith and science be reconciled in the eyes of the world? This question dominated conversations — both formal and casual — at the recent national convention of Catholic scientists.
This year’s annual conference, held June 5–8 at Mundelein Seminary outside Chicago, included a new offering designed to address this issue directly. Attendees at the Society of Catholic Scientists conference could choose to arrive early for Science and Faith Speaker Training, a one-and-a-half-day workshop on June 4 and 5 to prepare Catholic scientists to speak on science and faith topics.
While many scientists throughout history didn’t even dream of a conflict existing between scientific reason and their Catholic faith, many attendees spoke of the persistent modern “myth” that the two are not mutually compatible. The numbers back up their observation of the myth’s prevalence: According to Pew Research, some 59% of Americans believe “that science often is in conflict with religion.”
The Society of Catholic Scientists exists largely to combat this myth, founded as it was in 2016 “to witness to the harmony of science and faith.” With some 1,500 members so far and about 250 new scientists and students joining each year, its mission is growing rapidly.
The Science and Faith Speaker Training workshop began with guidance on presentation techniques from mentors who have extensive experience speaking and writing about these topics, such as Stephen Barr, president of SCS and author of the book “Modern Physics, Ancient Faith,” which argues “that modern scientific discoveries and religious faith are deeply consonant.”
Then attendees shared their own sample presentations in small groups and received feedback from experienced mentors. The workshop was supported by a grant from the Templeton Religion Trust.
The idea for the workshop, the first in the society’s nine years of conferences, originated with Dan Kuebler, biology professor at Franciscan University, vice president of SCS, and author of the book “Darwin and Doctrine,” which offers “a fascinating exploration of the compatibility and mutual flourishing of science and religion.” When he proposed the idea, other members quickly saw its wisdom.
“Iʼm a theologian whoʼs been doing faith and science work for 21 years, and thereʼs nothing that replaces a Catholic scientist who is doing great work in their field and showing that they see the harmony between that work and their Catholic faith,” said Chris Baglow, theology professor and director of the Science and Religion Initiative at the University of Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life.
“The ‘conflict’ misconception is almost universal in our culture, so itʼs part of the mission of the society to represent the relationship between faith and science in the public square,” Baglow said.
As part of that mission, Baglow recently wrote a high-school theology textbook, “Faith, Science, and Reason,” which “unveils the history of science as something that grew out of, rather than in opposition to, the Catholic faith.”
When Kuebler first envisioned the workshop, he saw it as an explicit effort to prepare younger scientists to represent this message effectively.
“One of the things that we recognize is that we need more people out there speaking to high schools, parishes, and so forth about science and the Catholic Church to help dispel some of these myths,” Kuebler said. “We thought, ‘We have all these scientist members here who are interested in that — why donʼt we get some of the best speakers to come and help train them?’”
Sixteen scientists took part in the workshop, which included not only instruction from experienced speakers but also a chance to put those skills into immediate practice. Each attendee prepared his or her own “faith and science talk” and presented it to a small group of mentors, receiving feedback to improve.
“Many of the attendees have letters of invitation to go speak at Catholic seminaries or at Catholic high schools, and now they feel much more confident,” Kuebler said.
Indeed, workshop participants said it equipped them with confidence to speak on these topics.
“The workshop provided a supportive, expert group to receive feedback for developing my faith and science talk,” said Anna Lennon, a doctoral student in ecology and evolutionary biology at Indiana University. “We were able to engage in discussion that supported and encouraged us to go beyond our labs and classrooms into our local communities to encounter our Creator together.”
Nathaniel Cunningham, Fairchild distinguished professor of physics at Nebraska Wesleyan University, particularly appreciated the chance to practice his own presentation with mentor feedback.
“This was really useful for me to go from general ideas to a concrete science and faith talk,” he said. He also appreciated getting “helpful guidelines and guardrails for speaking on faith and science” in the training presentations from speakers with expertise in both science and theology.
Spiritual hunger, Church’s tradition cited as top drivers of U.S. adult conversions, survey finds
A survey of U.S. adults who participated in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) in 2026 found that most were drawn to the Catholic Church either through a search for meaning and purpose or an attraction to the Churchʼs teachings, liturgy, and historical tradition.
“Personal growth in goodness, inner peace, and an understanding of truth emerged as some of the strongest motivations for exploring the Catholic faith,” said the report, titled “Why Are So Many People Becoming Catholic?”
About 85% of respondents said desire to grow closer to God was their primary reason for entering the Church and 77% listed “wanting to grow in goodness and virtue,” while 76% cited a desire for “a deeper understanding of truth” and 72% said they were looking for “a greater sense of inner peace.”
Led by the Archdiocese of Chicago, the survey conducted from Feb. 22 to May 31 included 2,127 responses from participants across 20 U.S. Catholic dioceses. The report did not list a margin of error.
About 68% of respondents named attraction to the Church’s sacred liturgy, prayer, ritual, and the sacraments as a significant factor in their conversion, while 65% said they were “attracted to the wisdom of a 2,000-year-old Church to help me navigate life.”
Fewer Catholics flirting to convert
Adult converts to the faith were less likely to cite dating or marrying a Catholic as a factor related to their conversion, researchers found.
“About 26% of catechumens and candidates for reception into full communion cited dating or marrying a Catholic as part of their journey to the Church,” the survey said. “By comparison, the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), using data from Pew Research Center’s 2007 Religious Landscape Study (Conversion Recontact Survey), found that 72% of Catholic converts at the time said marriage was an important reason for becoming Catholic.”
For respondents who did cite dating or marrying a Catholic as a part of their journey to the Catholic Church, the gender composition varied based on generation. Among Gen Z respondents, women represented a majority at 63%, while men comprised 37%. For millennials, the distribution was balanced, according to the survey, while men “represented a clear majority” among Gen X and baby boomer respondents.
Other motives
A little more than half of respondents identified the desire to belong to a church community or being inspired by the positive example of Catholic family, friends, or other personal connections.
The Church’s stance on social issues and its position as a worldwide provider of charitable services were ranked lowest among participants.
Challenges and fears among respondents
OCIA participants listed a variety of obstacles to their conversion, ranging from personal fears and apprehension about Church teaching to difficulty navigating parish systems and fitting OCIA classes into their schedules, according to the survey.
“Many expressed anxiety about navigating the liturgy itself, often feeling unfamiliar with and intimidated by the rituals of Mass. Others feared not belonging in a parish, worrying they would feel like outsiders within an established community,” researchers said. “Finally, some held back due to doctrinal uncertainty, unsure whether they could fully embrace all Catholic teachings and fearful of committing to a journey they might ultimately feel unable to complete.”
The study’s authors included Chicago archdiocesan employees Betsy Bohlen, chief operating officer; Pat Brown, strategy and research manager; and Tim Weiske, director of the department of parish vitality and mission.
Pew survey: Majority of Catholics say Trump is too critical of Pope Leo XIV
A survey by Pew Research Center found that more than three-fourths of Catholics view Pope Leo XIV favorably and that many Catholics, especially Democratic‑leaning Catholics, believe President Donald Trump has been too critical of Pope Leo, with views breaking sharply along party lines.
The survey of 1,848 Catholics between May 26 and June 1, part of Pew’s broader American Trends Panel survey, found 78% of Catholics view Leo favorably. This is down from last summer when his favorability was at 84%, mostly due to lower favorability from Catholic Republicans.
Only 12% of Catholic Americans viewed the pope unfavorably, and 10% did not answer or did not know who Leo was.
The survey found Leo’s favorability at 84% among Democratic or Democratic-leaning Catholics, which is five points lower than last year. Only 5% of Democrats said they had an unfavorable view. Among Republicans and Republican-leaning Catholics, 72% had a favorable view, which is 12 points lower than last year. About 22% had an unfavorable view.
Leo’s favorability is highest among those who attend Mass weekly, at 85%, and lowest among those who seldom attend Mass, at 73%. It was 79% among those who attend monthly or yearly.
Leo and Trump
The survey found that a plurality of Catholics say Pope Leo has struck the right balance in his approach to the Trump administration, while smaller shares say he has been too critical or not critical enough. Views vary sharply by party.
Leo criticized some of Trump’s rhetoric about the Iran war and called for a peaceful resolution, and Trump called the pontiff “terrible on foreign policy.” The U.S. and Iran are close to a peace deal as of mid-June. On June 18, Trump shared an article on Truth Social about the Holy Father’s approval of the ongoing peace negotiations.
Among all Catholics, 51% say Trump has been too critical of Leo, 14% say Trump has struck the right balance in his criticisms, and 4% say he has not been critical enough of the pope. The remaining 31% were either unsure or did not answer.
The survey found that only 19% said Leo has been too critical of Trump, 35% said the pope struck the right balance, and 16% said he has not been critical enough of the president. Another 30% were unsure or did not answer.
It found that 70% of Democratic and Democratic-leaning Catholics say Trump has been too critical of Leo, and 3% said the pope has been too critical of the president. Alternatively, it found that 32% of Republican and Republican-leaning Catholics said Trump has been too critical of Leo, and 39% said the pope has been too critical of the president.
John White, a retired politics professor at The Catholic University of America, told EWTN News the poll results are not surprising, saying “itʼs very clear that Pope Leo has settled into his role — indeed, he was made for it.”
“Pope Leo XIV has bridged the divisions among Catholics with his wise, timely pronouncements — all of which are true to the Gospel,” White said. “He is a moral leader for this time.”
White said Trump’s decision to demean the pope in social media posts are not received well by Catholic Americans or Americans more broadly.
According to an April Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll of 2,560 American adults, about two-thirds of Americans viewed Leo’s calls for peace positively and a majority of Americans did not like Trump’s criticism of the pontiff.
Church in European Union calls for migration policy that respects inviolable dignity of every person
The president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), Bishop Mariano Crociata, expressed the commission’s view on the new “Return Regulation” approved June 17 by the European Parliament.
The new regulation aims to unify and streamline procedures for the expulsion of individuals in an irregular situation (who are illegally present) within the European Union, strengthening cooperation among member states and facilitating returns to ensure the effectiveness of the common migration system.
Migration affects people who possess inviolable dignity
While acknowledging the legitimate responsibility of public authorities to manage migration, ensure border integrity, and combat human trafficking, the president of COMECE expressed “deep concern” regarding certain aspects of the new regulation.
Speaking on behalf of the Church in the EU, he noted that the extension of detention, limitations on legal remedies, and the increasing externalization of responsibilities to third countries raise “serious ethical and humanitarian questions” and could undermine “effective protection of fundamental rights and the dignity of vulnerable persons.”
Crociata warned that migration “is not merely a matter of procedures, statistics, or border management” but rather affects human beings “with an inviolable dignity that must remain at the center of every policy decision.”
‘Security and solidarity are not opposing principles’
In response to Pope Leo XIV’s call not to remain indifferent to the suffering of migrants, Crociata noted that the EU “was founded on the conviction that human dignity is inviolable” and therefore urged that migration and asylum policies respect that dignity.
The commission also reiterated that “security and solidarity are not opposing principles” but rather “must advance together” and appealed to the affected countries’ responsibility “to address the root causes that force people to migrate and to protect those who are on the move.”
Furthermore, Crociata insisted that everyone has “the right to seek protection when life is threatened” as well as the right “not to be forced to leave their homeland because of war, persecution, poverty, corruption, or environmental collapse.”
Crociata pointed out that the vote held on June 17 concerns not only migration policy but also raises “a broader question about the kind of Europe we wish to build.”
“At this decisive moment, Europe is called not to retreat from its founding values but to reaffirm them with courage, wisdom, and humanity,” he stated.
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.
Catholic educators call for reform to buck trend of parish school closures
In light of a decades-long trend of parish school closures, leading Catholic educators are calling for a return to Catholic principles.
Catholic bishops, higher education leaders, scholars, and superintendents gathered for the Front Royal Education Summit at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia, at the end of May where they developed the statement together.
“We must reexamine the curriculum, pedagogy, and culture of our schools,” says the “Front Royal Statement” by Catholic educators, bishops, and practitioners.
The statement provides guidance for Catholic education, detailing “seven cardinal principles” for Catholic K-12 schools.
Several Catholic bishops signed the letter: Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska; Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco; Bishop Thomas Daly of Spokane, Washington; Bishop Earl Fernandes of Columbus, Ohio; and Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois.
The statement’s 45 signatures include Society of G.K. Chesterton President Dale Ahlquist; Ethics and Public Policy Center President Ryan Anderson; President George Harne of Christendom College; and others involved in Catholic education.
Preventing Catholic schools from disappearing
Educators voiced concern for the “steady decline” of Catholic schools.
An average of 100 Catholic schools have closed per year for 60 years, according to the letter.
“Today, only 6,000 Catholic schools remain, serving fewer than 1.7 million students, despite significant growth in the overall Catholic population,” the statement said. “If this trend continues for another 60 years, parochial schools will largely disappear, and Catholic education will survive primarily in home schools and small co-ops.”
“Yet Catholic schools remain indispensable,” the statement continued. “Nowhere else do we have so many hours each week to form a sacramental imagination in young people, present salvation history comprehensively, and help them grasp the immensity of the incarnation and redemption of Jesus Christ.”
Catholic parish schools were originally founded en masse to preserve the faith of Catholic children in light of public schools “steeped in Protestant culture,” according to the statement.
“Today, we face a different but equally grave crisis: soaring rates of disaffiliation among young Catholics, driven by a culture of skepticism and materialism that undermines faith and the Church’s moral teachings,” the statement said.
“Declining enrollment, rising costs, a shortage of well-formed teachers and leaders, the reluctance of some pastors to maintain Catholic schools, and the inability of many families to afford a Catholic education, despite their desire for one, only make the crisis more acute,” the statement continued.
Education for human flourishing
Conley, known for his work in Catholic education, wrote the introduction for the seven principles, saying that they “articulate and condense this great tradition of Catholic educational philosophy and practice and attempt to capture the essence of the renewal of Catholic education now sweeping the Church in the United States.”
The seven principles are: the supernatural end of education; the nature and dignity of the human person; what children deserve, the rights of parents, and the duties of the state; the ecclesial responsibility of bishops and priests; the formation and responsibilities of teachers and leaders; the integrity and order of the curriculum; and the transmission of a living Catholic culture.
The principles are intended “to carry forward that rich tradition while addressing the urgent needs of Catholic primary and secondary schools today,” according to Conley.
“[T]he Church has continually reminded the world that education is ordered toward the full flourishing of the human being, culminating in the supernatural vision of God,” Conley wrote.
“We pray that these seven principles will provide a shared foundation to unify the various streams of educational renewal now underway in Catholic schools and to inspire a supernatural vision that guides the true integral formation of the whole child,” Conley said.
Pro-lifers rally against constitutional challenge to abortion law in Dominican Republic
Members of 40 Days for Life and the Bishops’ Vicariate for Life and Family of the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, along with other Christians gathered June 17 to remind the Constitutional Court of the Dominican Republic that the right to life is inviolable and that there is no place for abortion in the country.
The gathering took place outside the court in Santo Domingo during a public hearing regarding a “direct constitutional challenge” filed by groups such as the pro-abortion Catholics for the Right to Decide and the Dominican Christian Alliance Association. They seek the decriminalization of abortion based on three grounds: danger to the motherʼs life, fetal non-viability, and rape or incest.
The legal maneuver seeks to challenge articles 106, 107, 108, 110, and 111 of Law 74-25, which establishes the new penal code of the Dominican Republic and is set to take effect on Aug. 3. These articles prescribe various penalties for women who undergo an abortion and for those who assist in the procedure.
The pro-life demonstrators emphasized that in its upcoming ruling, the Constitutional Court must underscore that Article 37 of the Dominican constitution establishes that “the right to life is inviolable from conception to death.”
“We are driven not by confrontation but by love and the defense of the most vulnerable. Attempting to legalize abortion by having the court interpret the law this way would flagrantly violate our constitution and undermine the nationʼs sovereignty regarding its laws, which has already been expressed through the legislative branch in the new penal code,” 40 Days for Life and the vicariate said in a joint statement sent to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.
At the event, pro-life advocates displayed banners with messages such as "The DR is pro-life; we pray for a pro-life and constitutional penal code"; "We pray for an end to abortion”; and "Women need support, not abortion."
“Pro-life organizations concluded the day by reiterating their unwavering commitment to supporting mothers in vulnerable situations and to the ongoing defense of the family in the Dominican Republic,” the statement noted.
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.